Locked Out of Place: A Nationwide Investigation of How Housing Market Gatekeepers Respond to Negative Credentials

Those convicted of a felony can be legally denied housing, employment, occupational licenses, and the right to vote. Research has considered the long-lasting consequences of prior incarceration for both individuals and intergenerational inequality, but two-thirds of former felons who were never imprisoned remain understudied. Sociologist Brielle Bryan will examine the extent to which felony convictions shape renters’ housing options and whether other characteristics such as race, gender, and neighborhood poverty rate, impact residential opportunity. She will conduct a nationwide audit study consisting of sending 3,000 emails to landlords for her project.