Hello I am looking to open a transitional home or halfway house for federal inmates that are from the central Virginia area. Currently there is a halfway house in either Newport News or Norfolk and all inmates from Va, that are released from federal custody must go to this overcrowded facility. But I don't want my business to run like the norm for halfway houses. I want programs and incentives that will reach the individual and the community that actually work to reduce the recidivism rate and allow these ex offenders a fair opportunity to reintegrate back to society with skills conducive to a new start.
Detroit is good city for a transitional facility for inmates. Don't limit yourself to just federal inmates. Think about State inmates, low risk juveniles and even veterans coming back from deployment who have serious issues. Look at some of my prior posts on beginning the process. The first issue is setting up a structure for moving forward (nonprofit or for profit) and then looking at potential properties and potential revenue streams.
Jos A. Rivera, JD
President & CEO
Rivera, Sierra & Company, Inc.
jrivera@riverasierra.com
My husband and I are incorporating our non-profit ministry. We have been in church ministry for over 30 years assisting others in building their ministries and are now led to begin our own. From there, we desire to open a transitional home for released state inmates both men and women. Services will provide educational training- for those needing GED's or community college, social training- to assisttransitioning back into the free-world and family structure, physical enrichment, music/arts, job training, and spiritual assistance for them and their children.We want to facilitate the use of health and human/social services, Food Banks, and the Corrections Department.Because I know residence will be 'leary' of having ex-inmates in their neighborhoods, I visualize a shopping center/strip, away from homes, schools, and liquor storesdedicated entirely to this program.We are getting our DBA, bank account and articles of incorporation for the church established. Once that is done, we are getting the articles for the transitional home done. Would you consider this the first step? Is this what you referred to as the paperwork infrastructure?Kimberly
Kimberly,
Bless you for taking this on as a ministry. See Matthew 25:31-46.
For a ministry that wishes to set up a transitional facility, the following are the beginning steps one should follow:
1. Set up and incorporate the Church as a separate entity.
2. Set up and incorporate the nonprofit that will run the facility.
3. If you are going to own the facility (i.e. have equity in the real estate), then a separate corporation should own the property and the nonprofit serves as manager/operator.
4. Bylaws for the nonprofit have to conform with certain IRS requirements for tax exemption purposes.
5. After that, the nonprofit must register with Dun & Bradstreet .
6. After that, the nonprofit must register with Central Contract Registration.
7. After that, the nonprofit must register with grants.gov.
8. After that, you need to have a nonprofit board of directors retreat for about one day in order to chart a clear and appropriate strategic plan based upon clear SWOT analysis.
The NIMBY (Not in my back yard) issue is always present but there are things you can do. You need to do some research regarding the institution you want to work with to determine how many inmates come from the community. When the community learns that they are dealing with sons and daughters who will invariably be paroled to the exact same community, it helps to sway some minds.
I like your shopping center idea. I just did something like that at a dead mall in one State and nobody even whispered.
Jos A. Rivera, J.D. President & CEO Rivera, Sierra & Company, Inc.
Please don't tell anyone I sent you but if I were you, I would stroll into the local halfway house in Birmingham and tell them that you are looking for a halfway house for your relative and then check it out. The only one in town that I know of is:
BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY SERVICES1609 7TH STREET NORTHBIRMINGHAM AL 35204PHONE: (205)324-8015
If after visiting, you are still interested, then come back to the discussion group or contact me offline.
Jos A. Rivera, JD
President & CEO
Rivera, Sierra & Company, Inc.
jrivera@riverasierra.com
Kimberly, Bless you for taking this on as a ministry. See Matthew 25:31-46. For a ministry that wishes to set up a transitional facility, the following are the beginning steps one should follow: 1. Set up and incorporate the Church as a separate entity.2. Set up and incorporate the nonprofit that will run the facility.3. If you are going to own the facility (i.e. have equity in the real estate), then a separate corporation should own the property and the nonprofit serves as manager/operator.4. Bylaws for the nonprofit have to conform with certain IRS requirements for tax exemption purposes.5. After that, the nonprofit must register with Dun & Bradstreet .6. After that, the nonprofit must register with Central Contract Registration.7. After that, the nonprofit must register with grants.gov.8. After that, you need to have a nonprofit board of directors retreat for about one day in order to chart a clear and appropriate strategic plan based upon clear SWOT analysis. The NIMBY (Not in my back yard) issue is always present but there are things you can do. You need to do some research regarding the institution you want to work with to determine how many inmates come from the community. When the community learns that they are dealing with sons and daughters who will invariably be paroled to the exact same community, it helps to sway some minds. I like your shopping center idea. I just did something like that at a dead mall in one State and nobody even whispered. Jos A. Rivera, J.D. President & CEO Rivera, Sierra & Company, Inc.
A couple of friends and I have been trying to get information on starting a transitional home for federal inmates. We want to locate ourselves in North Alabama. I am currently working for a transitional program and have a num ber of ideas on how to use and improve what is being done there. Our real issue is knowing exactly how to start and get things off the ground. Thanks for any information that you can provide for us.
Detroit is good city for a transitional facility for inmates. Don't limit yourself to just federal inmates. Think about State inmates, low risk juveniles and even veterans coming back from deployment who have serious issues. Look at some of my prior posts on beginning the process. The first issue is setting up a structure for moving forward (nonprofit or for profit) and then looking at potential properties and potential revenue streams. Jos A. Rivera, JDPresident & CEORivera, Sierra & Company, Inc.jrivera@riverasierra.com
Gd morning, if you rent a house for that purpose do you need a permit if you are the landlord?
A couple of friends and I have been trying to get information on starting a transitional home for federal inmates. We want to locate ourselves in North Alabama. I am currently working for a transitional program and have a num ber of ideas on how to use and improve what is being done there. Our real issue is knowing exactly how to start and get things off the ground. Thanks for any information that you can provide for us.
@firefish,
There is a lot of valuable information in this thread. I hope you have a chance to go back through the posts and read the suggestions from others who have gotten a transitional home off the ground.
I am trying to start a halfway house in Alabama or a surrounding state. Wherever its most needed.Please share what you have learned with me and I will do the same with you as I move along.I am a General Contractor and will build my own and will build yours for you if you wish. I already have the rough plans done with shower stalls, toilets, etc, andbunk bed area for 140 men and 40 women. Eating area that turns into a meeting room,a walking track, library, meeting rooms for classes, etc.
All,
Based on the growing interest of this topic, we recently featured the article 'Resources for Starting a Halfway House or Transitional Housing Facility' in our Business Law Advisor blog.
You can read the article here: Resources for Starting a Halfway House or Transitional Housing Facility
A couple of friends and I have been trying to get information on starting a transitional home for federal inmates. We want to locate ourselves in North Alabama. I am currently working for a transitional program and have a num ber of ideas on how to use and improve what is being done there. Our real issue is knowing exactly how to start and get things off the ground. Thanks for any information that you can provide for us.
There are three halfway houses for federal inmates inAlabama:
BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY SERVICES1609 7TH STREET NORTHBIRMINGHAM, AL 35204PHONE: (205) 324-8015
BANNUM PLACE OF MONTGOMERY540 SAYRE STREETMONTGOMERY, AL 36104PHONE: (334) 262-0227
MOBILE COMMUNITY SERVICE4901 BATTLESHIP PARKWAY
SPANISH FORT, AL 36527PHONE: (251) 626-5094
Of these three, the facility at Spanish Fort has acontract that expired on 8/31/10.
So, the field is open for a federal contract. But,separate and apart, there are opportunities for private halfway houses as well.
What do you want to know?
Jos A. Rivera, JD
President & CEO
Rivera, Sierra & Company, Inc.
I am trying to start a halfway house in Alabama or a surrounding state. Wherever its most needed.Please share what you have learned with me and I will do the same with you as I move along.I am a General Contractor and will build my own and will build yours for you if you wish. I already have the rough plans done with shower stalls, toilets, etc, andbunk bed area for 140 men and 40 women. Eating area that turns into a meeting room,a walking track, library, meeting rooms for classes, etc.
Wow! A contractor! Just what I need. Too bad you do not live closer to NC I am the pastor of a historic church in the area that needs a lot of work. I am also looking to open up some transitional housing and a few other projects. Feel free to email me @ judysbabygirl@yahoo.com.
<br/>---<br/><small><i>This post was edited to remove a commercial link. Read our <a href='http://community2.business.gov/t5/Welcome-to-Your-Community/Community-Best-Practices/m-p/13855'>discussion policies</a> for more Community best practices.</i></small>
---This post was edited to remove a link. Read our discussion policies for more Community best practices.
I am trying to start a halfway house in Alabama or a surrounding state. Wherever its most needed.Please share what you have learned with me and I will do the same with you as I move along.I am a General Contractor and will build my own and will build yours for you if you wish. I already have the rough plans done with shower stalls, toilets, etc, andbunk bed area for 140 men and 40 women. Eating area that turns into a meeting room,a walking track, library, meeting rooms for classes, etc.
Good Day Pastor Lynard Brock again, founder of Sobriety Rocks, a Christian Substance Abuse Outrteach Program. We had two houses in Memphis Tn. donated. How can I get the sheetrock 66 sheets, donated? How can I get all the supplies donated? Can someone give me a rough draft of a proposal to hand out to places like homedepot, lowes, etc...?
Sobriety Rocks
Pastor Lynard Brock
1335 Enon Ln.
Bolivar, TN. 38008
731-658-5157
731-659-1230
sobrietyrocks.biz
sobrietyrocks@ymail.com
---This post was edited to remove a commercial link. Read our discussion policies for more Community best practices.
riverasierra | Window Shopper | 6/20/2010 - 11:19 pm
riverasierra | Window Shopper | 9/21/2010 - 5:40 pm
riverasierra | Window Shopper | 6/20/2010 - 11:29 pm
firefish | Window Shopper | 10/12/2010 - 7:00 pm
Newbgin8 | Window Shopper | 7/1/2010 - 9:09 am
NicoleD | Former Moderator | 10/13/2010 - 7:39 am
NicoleD | Former Moderator | 7/9/2010 - 2:43 pm
riverasierra | Window Shopper | 10/13/2010 - 8:30 pm
Cdillan | Window Shopper | 7/13/2010 - 11:00 pm
lynordb | Performer | 10/17/2010 - 2:26 pm
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