Date of Conferral

10-16-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Gregory Campbell

Abstract

Ex-offenders possibly felt excluded when private landlords or property managers conducted background checks and decided to immediately deny ex-offenders housing opportunities. The problem this study addressed was how landlords and property managers’ exclusion of ex-offenders impacted reentry post-incarceration. There was a gap regarding how Michigan private landlords impacted ex-offenders’ success factor in securing safe housing upon reentry back to society. The key findings related to the literature in ways that showed how landlords acknowledged outside biases, yet described ex-offender tenants as appreciative, positive, and respectful. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore how state and federal policies may compel landlords/property managers to grant safe housing to ex-offenders in Michigan. The study included the social exclusion theory as a foundational framework and included an exploration of the dynamics of exclusion and its impact on ex-offenders during the reentry process. This general qualitative study included in-depth interviews with active, former, and retired landlords experienced with ex-offenders as applicants and or tenants in the state of Michigan. Landlords in Michigan reported mixed experiences, some highlighted positive outcomes like respectful tenants and improved self-esteem for ex-offenders. Participants desired a greater role of employment and vocational readiness from government sources in shaping housing opportunities for ex-offenders. The implication for social change was that Michigan ex-offenders who sought safe housing found community members who welcomed reentry and supported second chances.

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