When Jennifer Toon arrived at yet another prospective Austin rental in November 2021, she was welcomed by a dead rat. Its tail, curled limply on the duplex parking lot, was thicker than her cat’s.
While the rat seemed welcome, Toon soon learned that she was not. As one of nearly 70 million Americans with criminal records, Toon continues to face “collateral consequences,” including housing and employment obstacles, over a decade after her conviction—even in a “Fair Chance” haven like Austin.
“The worst experience trying to find housing has been in Austin,” Toon told the Texas Observer. “I have offered double deposit, double the first month’s rent. … I’m essentially just living where people will allow me to live.”
