Finding housing after a conviction can be difficult. You still have options.

Felon Friendly Apartments in Jacksonville, FL

Searching for felon friendly apartments in Jacksonville? Explore apartment communities, houses, and other housing options. “Felon friendly” is a search term, not a verified designation. Confirm each property's screening rules; approval is never guaranteed.

Screening records in Jacksonville

Anders Park in Jacksonville.

Anders Park

10770 Anders Blvd.

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Baldwin Apartments in Jacksonville.

Baldwin Apartments

9500 103rd Street

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Blodgett Villas in Jacksonville.

Blodgett Villas

1301 Davis Street

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Brentwood Lakes in Jacksonville.

Brentwood Lakes

761 Village Center Drive

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Caroline Arms

6457 Ft. Caroline

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Carrington Place Apartments in Jacksonville.

Carrington Place Apartments

11815 Alden Road

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Cathedral Townhouse Apartments

501 North Ocean Street

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Centennial Towers in Jacksonville.

Centennial Towers

230 E 1st Street

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Centennial Townhouses (East)

900-1000 Liberty Street

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Centennial Townhouses West in Jacksonville.

Centennial Townhouses (West)

1261-1 N Broad Street

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Colonial Village in Jacksonville.

Colonial Village

9500 103rd Street

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Fairway Oaks in Jacksonville.

Fairway Oaks

5570 Golfbrook Drive

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Forest Meadows East in Jacksonville.

Forest Meadows East

1935 Forest Blvd.

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Forest Meadows West in Jacksonville.

Forest Meadows West

4890 Richard Street

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Gregory West Apartments in Jacksonville.

Gregory West Apartments

7844 Gregory Drive

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Hogan Creek Towers in Jacksonville.

Hogan Creek Towers

1320 N Broad Street

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Jacksonville Beach Apartments.

Jacksonville Beach Apartments

123 S 8th Street

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Lindsey Terrace Apartments in Jacksonville.

Lindsey Terrace Apartments

6455 Argyle Forest Blvd.

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Oak Hammock Apartments

500 Acme Street

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Riviera Apartments in Jacksonville.

Riviera Apartments

1800 Blanding Blvd.

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Jacksonville Housing Authority Scattered Sites office.

Scattered Sites

1085 Golfair Blvd.

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Senior Citizen Village

801 West 4th Street

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Southwind Villas in Jacksonville.

Southwind Villas

8711 Newton Road

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The Oaks at Durkeeville in Jacksonville.

The Oaks at Durkeeville

1605 N Myrtle Avenue #10

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Twin Towers in Jacksonville.

Twin Towers

617-621 W 44th Street

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Victory Pointe Apartments in Jacksonville.

Victory Pointe Apartments

6750 Ramona Blvd.

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Westwood Apartments in Jacksonville.

Westwood Apartments

1171 Lane Ave S

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Can someone with a felony record rent in Jacksonville?

Screening practices and applicable requirements can vary by property and location. Ask each housing provider about its current criteria and verify reported policy details directly. For questions about your rights, consider consulting a qualified local housing or legal resource. Approval is never guaranteed.

Jacksonville covers a large geographic footprint, and that spread gives renters with a felony record a fairly wide range of neighborhoods and housing types to consider. Compared with some of Florida's most crowded markets, parts of the Jacksonville area can feel a bit less frantic, which sometimes gives applicants more room to have a real conversation with a landlord. Approval is never guaranteed anywhere, but the breadth of options here is genuinely helpful. The area includes everything from large managed apartment communities to homes and small buildings rented by individual owners, and those landlords handle criminal history in different ways. A no from one property does not predict a no from the next, so persistence and flexibility matter. This page uses hedged, honest language and never claims that any property or landlord accepts felons. It focuses on how screening commonly works in Jacksonville and on practical steps to strengthen your application.

Local housing information for Jacksonville

Local rental overview

Jacksonville is a physically large city with a mix of housing across many neighborhoods, and in our experience the market, while active, can feel somewhat more open in places than Florida's most competitive metros. That does not mean it is easy, but it can mean more room to search. You will find both professionally managed complexes and smaller owner-run rentals throughout the area. Because rents and competition vary across such a broad city, expanding your search across different parts of the metro often reveals options that feel more attainable.

Criminal screening overview

Most larger Jacksonville apartment communities screen for credit, rental history, income, and criminal background, and national operators typically apply written conviction policies that differ by company. There is no single citywide standard. HUD's federal guidance discourages blanket bans on applicants with any record and encourages considering the nature and age of an offense, which shapes how some larger operators write their rules. This does not require any landlord to approve you, and approval is never guaranteed. Ask each property about its criteria before paying a fee. As of mid-2026, we are not aware of a local tenant screening ordinance limiting criminal background lookback periods in Duval County or the City of Jacksonville; the federal HUD fair housing framework is the primary guidance. Consult Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (jaxlegalaid.org) or a local attorney if your situation is complex.

Application tips

- Confirm each property's screening criteria before applying, since Jacksonville operators use different rules. - Be honest on every application; omissions that later surface can cost you the unit and your fee. - Prepare a concise, honest explanation of your history focused on stability, work, and completed programs. - Keep income documents ready, such as pay stubs or an offer letter, to respond promptly. - Gather references from employers, caseworkers, or former landlords who can vouch for you. - Consider a larger deposit or qualified co-signer if your budget allows. - Include smaller owner-run rentals across the wide city in your search. - Track where you applied and what each property said so you can adjust your approach.

Neighborhoods and nearby areas

Renters across Jacksonville often weigh a variety of well-known areas depending on budget and commute. Neighborhoods near Downtown and Riverside tend to be more central, while areas like the Southside, Arlington, and Mandarin are commonly considered by those wanting more residential settings. Communities toward the beaches or the outer edges of the county sometimes carry different price points. These are simply areas people frequently look at; we make no claim about which landlords in any of them consider applicants with records, and policies vary by property.

Local reentry resources

- Dial 211 (United Way 211) for referrals to reentry and housing navigation services in the Jacksonville area. 211 is available throughout Florida; call or visit 211.org to search by ZIP code. - Goodwill of North Florida (goodwillnorthfl.org) operates GoodCareers Centers that provide job placement and career support, which can strengthen housing applications by demonstrating employment and stable income. - Local reentry nonprofits and faith-based organizations also offer transitional housing referrals. Dial 211 to find current providers in your area and confirm services directly. - Changing Homelessness (changinghomelessness.org) leads the FL-510 Continuum of Care spanning Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties and works with partner agencies that may assist with rapid rehousing referrals.

Local housing resources

- Jacksonville Housing Authority (jaxha.org, HCV Call Center: (904) 552-5952) administers the Housing Choice Voucher program and public housing options for Duval County. Contact them directly about current waitlist status and eligibility, as openings and rules change. - HUD provides general renter rights information and national rental assistance directories at hud.gov. Use their resource locator to find programs currently serving the Jacksonville area. - Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (jaxlegalaid.org) provides free legal help on tenant rights and housing discrimination to eligible residents of Duval, Clay, and surrounding counties. Call one of their offices to apply for services; contact information is listed at jaxlegalaid.org/contacts. - United Way 211 can refer you to local rental assistance funds and emergency housing resources. Call 211 or visit 211.org.

Transportation

Jacksonville is served by JTA (Jacksonville Transportation Authority), which operates bus routes and other transit services across parts of the city, though the region is large and car-oriented, so transit coverage is uneven. If you depend on transit, prioritizing housing near frequent JTA routes can help keep commutes manageable across such a spread-out city. Current JTA routes, schedules, and trip planning tools are available at jtafla.com.

Employer and income resources

Steady income strengthens any rental application, so connecting with second-chance employment resources can help. Goodwill of North Florida (goodwillnorthfl.org) provides career services and job placement support through GoodCareers Centers across the Jacksonville area. Various staffing agencies and nonprofits also work with people who have records. Dial 211 to ask about current workforce and reentry job programs near you, and confirm services and availability directly with each provider.

How we verify this information

Reported screening policies come from properties, management companies, and renter-submitted experiences, and each record shows when it was last verified. Policies can change at any time—always confirm directly with the property.

Nearby areas

Frequently asked questions

Can I rent in Jacksonville with a felony record?

It is possible, though never guaranteed. Jacksonville's large footprint offers many landlords and housing types, and policies vary by property. Larger communities often follow written screening rules, while smaller owners may weigh your full situation. Ask each property about its criteria first.

Is Jacksonville less competitive than other Florida cities?

In our experience parts of the area can feel somewhat more open than Florida's tightest markets, but that varies by neighborhood and can change. Being prepared and flexible still matters, and no landlord is required to approve any applicant.

How far back do Jacksonville background checks go?

It depends on the screening company and property. Florida does not have a statewide law capping the rental criminal lookback period, so older convictions may still appear. As of mid-2026, we are not aware of a local ordinance limiting lookback in Duval County or the City of Jacksonville. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (jaxlegalaid.org) can advise eligible residents on tenant rights.

Which areas of Jacksonville should I look at?

That depends on your budget, commute, and transit needs, given how spread out the city is. Central areas differ from the Southside, Arlington, or beach areas in price and feel. We cannot say which areas' landlords consider records; policies vary by property.

What improves my chances here?

In our experience, documented steady income, an honest explanation of your history, strong references, and flexibility on location all help. A larger deposit or co-signer may reassure some landlords, though nothing guarantees approval.

Where can I find housing help in Jacksonville?

Dialing 211 can connect you with reentry and housing navigation services. Jacksonville Housing Authority (jaxha.org, (904) 552-5952) administers subsidized options. Changing Homelessness (changinghomelessness.org) leads the local Continuum of Care. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (jaxlegalaid.org) can advise on tenant rights at no cost to eligible residents.

Request Housing Help

Tell us where you want to live and we will review your request and point you toward relevant housing resources. This is not a rental application, and approval is never guaranteed.

This page is informational only and is not a rental application. Reported policies can change at any time and approval is never guaranteed. Contact the property directly to verify. Last updated October 7, 2026.

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