Video: Sex offenders have a hard time finding homes

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SEATTLE – Exactly three weeks ago, the Washington state Department of Corrections assigned a bridge as a home for a Level 3 sex offender. It was a place for David Torrence to sleep and meet up with his parole officer.

It turns out the state is forced to assign many sex offenders to all sorts of bridges and more.

"It's extremely hard to find housing for sex offenders, period," says parole officer Mary Rehberg.

Her caseload is made up mostly of sex offenders, including Torrence. He escaped within a few days by removing his Global Positioning Satellite bracelet. He finally surrendered last Friday in Arkansas.

She worked for months to find him housing, but wound up assigning him a patch of dirt under a bridge.

"I had nowhere else to put him," said Rehberg.

Many people were shocked to hear about that bridge, but they shouldn't have been.

Rehberg took us to a swampy piece of land under a bridge near Everett. A Level 2 sex offender calls it home.

"If they tell the law enforcement or DOC that this is where they're going to be staying, then this is where they are expected to be," said Rehberg.

She also took us to a mall parking lot, which is home to a Level 3 sex offender. Level 3 means most likely to re-offend.

Frame: "How do you live in a parking lot?"

Rehberg: "Where else do they live if they have no other resources."

We also checked out a makeshift encampment. A Level 1 sex offender used to live there before getting into trouble and getting arrested again. Some Snohomish County sheriff's deputies happened to be in the area when we showed up. Rehberg let them know the offender may be coming back after he gets out of prison.

Deputy: "So when might that occur?"

Rehberg: "Oh, probably eight months. We'll let you know."

Other offenders are living in tents, under trees and on brushy hillsides.

"If they're lucky enough, they have a tent. If they not lucky enough, they find a bridge, a dumpster, anywhere where they can find a location to live. They're survivors, I will give you that," said Rehberg.

A Level 2 sex offender KING 5 ran into lives out of his tiny car.

"Up in the woods on the weekends and in the Wal-Mart parking lot if it's too dark or cold," he said.

He's been searching for a place to rent for a year. Dozens of landlords have said he can move in until they find out he's a sex offender.

"They just say no. And if you try to give them an explanation, they don't want to hear it," he said.

Sex offenders are the modern day lepers. No one wants them on their block. Of the 34 most dangerous sex offenders recently released in our state, 15 of them, about half, walked out of prison homeless. That's about average.

According to those who look after them, it's the worst scenario for public safety.

"When a sex offender doesn't have a good stable house, he is more likely to re-offend because he has nothing. No stability," said Rehberg.

A Level 3 sex offender KING 5 interviewed, who does have a home, hasn't been in any trouble since getting out of prison three years ago. He's fortunate. A landlord gave him a break.

"If you're living under a bridge or in a car, it's too easy to get drugs, alcohol, get into just garbage," he said.

Rehberg is working hard to find housing for three more sex offenders about to get out, but there's nothing yet. She doesn't want to put another one under a bridge.

"They have committed crimes, yes, but the more stable they are, the least likely they are to commit crimes," said Rehberg.

In addition to communities not wanting sex offenders around, there is no funding through the Department of Corrections for housing. That was cut off two years ago, but there are a few pilot projects underway to try to get more sex offenders out from under a bridge and into a stable home.