Contexts of Felony Record Exclusion: How Neighborhoods Shape Landlord Screening with Implications for Neighborhood Quality

• In Event: Housing and Collateral Consequences

Abstract

Criminal background checks have become routine in tenant screening in recent decades. Despite concerns from policymakers and advocacy groups that such screenings may result in de facto racial discrimination due to disparities in justice system contact, rejecting tenants based on criminal history is legal in most of the U.S. Small-scale audit studies show that individuals disclosing a conviction receive fewer callbacks from landlords and realtors, but how such discrimination varies across cities and is moderated by individual and neighborhood characteristics remains unclear. To investigate these dynamics, we sent over 30,000 emails responding to Craigslist rental ads in 40 metro areas between October 2022 and September 2023, varying felony conviction status, age of conviction (when applicable), marital and parent status, race, gender, and the age of inquirers. We find that emails disclosing a felony receive responses at significantly lower rates than those that do not. This gap varies widely across cities and neighborhoods. Using rental unit location data, we explore how neighborhood context moderates discrimination and shapes the quality of neighborhoods accessible to people with felony convictions. Preliminary results show the gap is largest in more advantaged neighborhoods, suggesting screening sorts individuals with felony records into the most disadvantaged areas.

Authors

• Brielle Bryan, Rice University

• Seth A. Williams, Louisiana State University