I need housing. Does anyone know who will rent to someone with a non-violent offense from 6 yrs ago? I am looking for an apartment but will rent a basement or room from somebody.

You need to be more specific unless you are willing to move. Ask for housing in a specific area that you want to live in. In my area craigslist.org is the best place to look for housing, you might try that.

My advice would be to check with people who specialize in locating apartments for renters with special needs. There are several that are nationwide. Try Apartment Finders - they are all over the place. Tell them your concerns and what you are looking for. It is their job to match you with potential landlords. I will tell you, though, that most companies are running both credit and criminal background checks for residents age 18 and over. The concern is not necessarily violence, but charges such as credit card fraud, identity theft, etc. I'm not saying this is what your charges were but I just want to give you as much info as possible so you know what you have to work with.