Lucas County will receive a $1 million federal award for its Smart Reentry Demonstration Initiative, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur announced Monday, October 26, in Toledo, with the money aimed at helping people returning from state prison find stable housing and work.
The Lucas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will receive the award through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. The initiative helps former inmates reenter the community by addressing the housing instability faced by individuals who are released from state prisons, according to the announcement.
“Every individual deserves the opportunity to rebuild their life and return to their community with the support and resources needed to succeed,” Kaptur said. “I am proud to support Lucas County’s Smart Reentry Demonstration Initiative, which will address housing instability, expand access to employment, and provide comprehensive case management for individuals returning home from state prisons.”
Kaptur said that by helping participants secure transitional housing and build pathways to long-term stability, the initiative will reduce the rate of repeated offenses and strengthen public safety across Northwest Ohio. The funding comes through Second Chance Act money administered by the Justice Department.
“This federal investment through Second Chance Act funding strengthens our community’s ability to support returning citizens with the stable housing and coordinated services they need to safely and successfully reintegrate into our community,” said Holly Matthews, executive director of the Toledo-Lucas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
Matthews said the council is grateful for the opportunity to advance a data-driven model that reduces recidivism, improves public safety and expands long-term housing stability in Lucas County. Stable housing is widely cited by reentry programs as the foundation that makes employment, treatment and family reunification possible.
The award adds a housing-focused piece to the region’s reentry work as local partners coordinate case management for people leaving prison. Officials said the demonstration initiative will be watched for results that could guide future reentry investment in Lucas County and beyond.
For returning citizens in Lucas County, the practical effect is a clearer front door: case managers who can coordinate housing, employment and services in one plan instead of sending each person to navigate separate agencies alone in the first, most fragile weeks after release.