Natasha Alladina

The Project

In Georgia and around the country, an individual’s criminal record creates a significant barrier to finding stable housing—a crucial deterrent to recidivism and an essential component of successful reintegration into the community. Sixty-six percent of landlords and property managers will not accept an applicant with a criminal history. Natasha’s project will expand the Georgia Justice Project’s direct service, education, and policy efforts in order to address access to housing for people with a criminal record.

As a former public defender, Natasha has seen first-hand just how crucial access to stable housing is for individuals involved in the criminal justice system. Through her work with the Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Duke Law School, she also became acutely aware of the collateral consequences that a criminal record can have for an individual. She aims to reduce systemic barriers to housing for individuals with a criminal history through policy advocacy, education, and direct representation.

Fellowship Plans

• Eliminate barriers to housing for people with criminal records by assisting clients with record restriction (expungement), sealing, retroactive first offender, corrections, pardons, and other matters related to their criminal history.
• Promote statewide education to ensure compliance with state and federal guidance, including HUD’s November 2015 Guidance and April 2016 Guidance, which laid out substantial limitations to the consideration of criminal records in public and private housing decisions.
• Work with the Reentry Housing Work Group, which consists of private and public stakeholders, to advocate for criminal justice reforms that will improve access to housing for justice-involved individuals.