Three Quarter Houses: The View from the Inside

Housing is especially difficult to get after an ex-offender is back released into the community. This is an even more difficult challenge to face in New York City. Three-Quarter Houses are one solution for those individuals needing a place to stay till the can find a more stable residence. They are private homes, apartments, or some other type of buildings that rent beds to people. This report is the first to vigorously examine the conditions to be found in Three-Quarter Houses. Two parts make up the text following an executive summary. Part One-Three-Quarter Houses in New York City: what they are; where they came from; whether they are safe and legal; who lives in them; why people come to stay here; the resident population; the number of houses in NYC; how these houses are funded; and what alternatives exist to Three-Quarter Houses. Part Two-The View from the Inside: the worst abuses-endangering personal and public safety; outside the law-illicit practices associated with these houses; what works for tenants-New Yorkers in life transitions; and failing tenants-impeding recovery and reintegration.