Second Chances Matter, but Not Everyone Gets One
In 1988, Senator Strom Thurmond, a segregationist from South Carolina, introduced an amendment that gave landlords the authority to permanently deny housing to individuals with prior drug distribution convictions, regardless of the severity of their offenses or the length of time that has passed since their conviction.
Our mission is to dismantle this deeply unjust legislation and reinstate fair housing protections for impacted individuals and families.
Explore our resources, stay informed, and join our fight to ensure folks who have paid their debt to society have the fundamental right to live where they want, not where they are allowed.
Drug Dealers Deserve No Federal Protection.
In a matter of seconds, Strom Thurmond ushered in a form of government-sponsored exclusion that for 35 years has disproportionately restricted people of color from high-opportunity communities, confined children to failing schools, and denied families proximity to well-paying jobs.
Zip code matters and the Thurmond Amendment is a barrier that hinders individuals' progress regardless of their hard work and determination.
Watch the eye-opening Showtime documentary, "Backgrounded," as it delves deep into the harrowing realities of criminal record-related housing barriers. Through powerful interviews, real-life accounts, and expert analysis, "Backgrounded" brings to the forefront the importance of addressing criminal record-related housing barriers.
Our Goal is the Restoration of Fair Housing Protections for Drug Distribution Convictions.
Impact of the Thurmond Amendment:
Over 9 million people have been arrested for drug manufacturing offenses since 1988 and may be excluded from Fair Housing protections.
In 2019 over 200,000 citizens were arrested for drug manufacturing charges
Black and white Americans sell and use drugs at similar rates, but black Americans are 2.7 times as likely to be arrested for drug-related offenses
People with criminal records who remain crime-free for four to seven years are no more likely than the general public to commit a new crime
4 in 5 landlords use background checks