HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING

INSTABILITY AMONG REFUGEE

FAMILIES IN TWIN CITIES

Rachele King, Minnesota Council of Churches

&

Hyojin Im, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

* Acknowledgement to Heading Home Hennepin, Refugee Housing Council,

Annie E. Casey Foundation and Minnesota Family Housing Fund

1

Refugees come to Minnesota having survived

unimaginable trauma. Imagine for a moment:

You flee your homeland…

You survive…

You don’t know what your future holds…

You struggle…

You are offered an opportunity…

You are told that you will be going to Minnesota...

You don’t know …

You hope…

2

Definition of Refugee

A person who has been forced

to flee his/her homeland and

is unable to return because

she or he has experienced

persecution or has a well-

founded fear of persecution.

3

Persecution based on:

Race

Religion

Nationality

Membership of a

particular social group

Political opinion

4

The Life of a Refugee

Stuck in limbo

Little or no opportunity to pursue education or stable

employment

Residing in refugee camps with unsafe conditions

Violence

Disease

5

The Life of a Refugee

Kakuma

Refugee

Camp in

Kenya

6

Refugee Realities: Refugees often stay in

protracted refugee situations for years or even

decades. Less than ½ of 1% of are

permanently resettled globally in a year.

Photo Courtesy of UNHCR

7

Kakuma, Kenya8

Refugee resettlement is a Humanitarian

Program of the US Government through the

Department of State (PRM)

Home country is unwilling or unable to protect them.

The place they live does not offer a durable solution.

9

Being approved to come to the

USA

Several interviews by Non governmental organizations

Department of Homeland security – Refugee Corps interviews to determine refugee status

DNA testing (New)

Security checks

Health screenings

Cultural orientation

Travel Loan

10

Nine national agencies contracted by the US Department of State

to provide “initial reception and placement” services to newly

arrived refugees through an allocation process.

.

11

Every primary refugee arrival arrives through a

resettlement agency.

12

“Refugee” or “Asylee” is a distinct

immigration status in the USA

Work authorized upon arrival

Indefinite status upon arrival

Path to US Citizenship

Eligible for benefits, like a US Citizen.

Specialized services may be available (vary from

state to state).

13

26 nationalities we have worked with since 2007.

Afghanistan

Burma

Bhutan

Cambodia

Democratic Republic of Congo

Eretria

Ethiopia

Hmong

Iraq

Indonesia

Kenya

Liberia

Nepal

Nigeria

Somalia

Sudan

Tibet

Togo

Uganda

Ukraine

Uzbekistan

Vietnam

Moldova

Zambia

Zimbabwe

14

What happens when…

… your hopes are not realized?

What happens if your housing is not sustainable?

What happens when you are not able to support your

family?

What happens when you are unsure how to best help

your children?

What happens when your hope fades?

15

The first refugee homeless crisis in MN

In 2006 60 refugee families moved to a local shelter.

The response: The MN Council of Churches Refugee

Supportive Housing Network (RSHN) : A successful model of

helping the most vulnerable among us achieve Housing

Stability.

Since that time, MCC has worked with more than 200 refugee

families (more than 1,000 individuals) who were homeless, or

at risk to become homeless.

16

A story

“UNHCR brought us to the U.S. and to North Carolina on October

27th in 2009. We didn‟t know anybody and there aren‟t many

Somalis there. Only about 10 Somalis [were in town]. They were all

busy running after their lives and jobs. The resettlement agency paid

for rent for the first six months and then we were asked to pay rent.

We were getting $300 for public assistance and the rent was $650.

[......] Life there was hard as we didn‟t have any support. It was OK

until my child got sick and we didn‟t have anybody to help us. We

didn‟t have diapers for kids for 3 months because no one helped us.

[......] We heard about Minnesota and borrowed money from mosque

for bus fare although knowing no one here [in Minnesota]. A Somali

taxi driver let us sleep with them for one night and dropped us off

here [in the homeless shelter] in the next morning.” (43, a Somali man

with 4 kids and a wife, who resettled in October 2009)

17

Homeless Refugees?

“It may be the first case

like this,” State

Refugee Coordinator

Marlene Myers said

this week, “but it won‟t

be the last.”

First a refugee now

homeless (Nov. 28th, 2009,

News & Records)

18

Refugee Families Struggling with Housing

Increase in housing insecurity and homelessness

among refugee populations

Few empirical studies or reports on refugee housing

issues in the U.S.

Little is known about current status, etiology, unique

challenges or risk/preventive factors of refugee

homelessness: “Hidden homelessness”

Policy gap: No housing policy specific for refugee

populations

19

Community-Based Research

Growing needs to understand:

current status of housing insecurity among refugees

unique challenges and risk factors for homelessness

among refugee families

How to serve homeless refugee families (culturally

responsive service provision)

How to intervene and prevent refugee

homelessness (policy intervention)

20

Community-Based Research

Refugee Housing Council & Heading Home

Hennepin collaborated with University of Minnesota

School of Social Work and Center for Urban and

Regional Affairs

Survey with 250 refugees from five ethnic groups,

Somali, Karen, Hmong, Liberian & Oromo, who

reside in Twin Cities (March – May 2008)

Interviews with 17 homeless refugee families

(Somali, Hmong, Congolese, Iraqi & Sudanese) in a

private homeless shelter in Minneapolis (April 2010)

21

Housing Stability:

Length of stay (1st, 2nd and current places)

2.7

7.0

0.9

2.2

4.4

3.3

2.5

4.9

0.6 2

3.63.1

1.63.1

0.6 0.81.9 1.7

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Somali Hmong Karen Liberian Oromo Total

 Duration in the 1st placeDuration in the 2nd placeDuration in current place

Yrs

22

Housing Stability:

Move frequency and time taken to own house

3.35

0.3

2.54

0.5

2.48

0.3

2.34

0.2

1.62

0.1

2.54

0.3

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Hm

on

g

So

mali

Lib

eri

an

Oro

mo

Kare

n

To

tal

Move frequency

Number of housing crisis

4.16

1.36 1.321.07

0.2

1.82

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Hm

on

g

Oro

mo

So

mali

Lib

eri

an

Kare

n

To

tal

 Time taken to live in "own" place*(yrs)

* The meaning of living in “own” place differs from a respondent’s perception and understanding. It does not only refer to “buying a house and legally own the property” but also includes the meaning of “paying rent for the house themselves.”

23

Housing Stability:

Reason for moving 24

Housing Stability:

Housing crisis

double

up

11%

shelter

6%

no

crisis

79%

discord

4%

doubleup shelter discord no_crisis

29%18%

7%25%

14% 19%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

So

mal

i

Hm

on

g

Kar

en

Lib

eria

n

Oro

mo

To

tal

Crisis

No crisis

25

Housing Stability:

The greatest difficulty in finding a house

Others

2%

Expensive rent

41%

No proper house

available

10%

Small APT

18%

Language barrier

28%

Can't live with all

family members

1%

Language barrier

Small APT

No proper house available

Can't live with all family members

Others

Expensive rent

26

Social Services & Help-Seeking:

Help-seeking intention & helping sources

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

helping source for

current house

helping source for

housing problem

Myself & others

People in my church or

mosqueCounty social service

programCommunity non-profit

agencyResettlement agency

Friends and neighbors

Family or relatives

27

Social Services:

Barriers to using social services

Not very

helpful

10%

Language

barrier

41%

Lack of info

on services

17%

Lack of

cultural

understandin

g

17% Bad

experience

11%

Can't trust

4%

Bad experience Lack of cultural understanding

Lack of info on services Can't trust

Not very helpful Language barrier

28

What survey informed includes:

Stability of refugees‟ first housing is associated with future success in housing.

Help-seeking intention and trust is negatively associated with accessibility to social services

Newly resettled refugees have more expectations and trust in social services, but also more language barriers and transportation issues that bar social service access. They also have less informal social support.

The longer refugees stay in the U.S., the less they trust social service agencies and develop more informal helping-sources.

Housing is too expensive to solve informally.

Lack of ethnic community‟s support matters.

Marginalized groups. e.g. Togolese

29

An Ecology of Migration and Resettlement

Pre-migration

(War & Political

Violence)

Migration(refugee camps)

Post-migration

(Resettlement)

Social Integration

30

Unique Risk Factors (Pre-Migration)

Traumatic events

“It was very scary during the move from Laos to Thai. All I could

recall was my head kept dipping in the water preventing me from

seeing much. I could hear the gun shots and see the sparks when a

shot was fired. If a person was hit by the bullet, that person is

dead.” (40, a Hmong single mother with 9 children recalling when

she was 7)

Family separation of loss of family

“During the war, I was separated from my kids for one year. My four

older boys got lost and my late husband went back to the war zone to

find them. Eventually, I found my 4 older boys, but my husband died

when he went back to look for them.”

31

Pre-migration

Different housing/residential culture

“There are major differences in the systems. Back home if you find a

place, you can move in the same day and pay the deposit at the end of

the month. Here you have to do a background check, rent history and must

pay the first month‟s rent and deposit on the same day.”

“I was born in camp and have never paid a rent. The facility was very

poor but it was just stable. I‟ve never worried about a place to stay at

least. I didn‟t expect to pay a rent before (coming here).”

“The place we lived in the refugee camp was a semi-permanent structure

that isn‟t suitable for any human being. What we have here is more

decent. But the issue is stability. We didn‟t feel any pressure and restriction

in the camp. We were free although the conditions were pathetic. Children

were free to play wherever they want and they were familiar with

everything.”

32

Risk factors - Migration

No real life – lack of education, no job skills, etc.

“There was really no good life in the refuge camp. We were

not living and we were not dead. We were afraid constantly

of either going to jail or being killed. Nobody can visit you

there. Here we found safety which is very important for us. So

in a sense we traded safety to become homeless.” (44, a

Somali male with 7 children and a wife)

“What we could do was just sewing. That was the only work

that we could find in the camp. I couldn‟t find that kind of job

here [in the U.S.], so I am still struggling. I even cannot read a

letter and cannot speak English.” (40, a Hmong mother with 9

children)

33

Migration

Mistrust in health professionals

“My uncle had taken his daughter to the hospital and

brought her back dead a couple of days later. She couldn't

have died. She only had a bad headache. They [Thai

doctors/nurses] must have killed her for her organs or blood.

We will never know.”

34

Resettlement - Arrival

Relief and gratitude

“[when I first came to the U.S.] I was happy and did not expect to have

any problems with finding a home. I was grateful to the U.S. because I

didn‟t have a husband and Americans seemed to become my extended

family.” (45, A single Somali women with 7 children)

Gap between expectations and realities

“We were happy for a little bit, then we realized the housing problem

and then we were really stressed. The older kids would see me upset

and wondering where we would all end up. And then, they start to

worry. They told me it was better in the refugee camp because we had

free shelter and why I brought them here.” (Somali parents with 7

children)

35

Resettlement – Early stage

Language barriers

No transportation

Lack of information/orientation

Lack of support: We came to the U.S. on November 11th, 2009 at

St. Louis, MO. The international Institute helped us move to an

apartment. When they paid for the first 2 months they told us to

pay from then on. We were getting $500 cash from the

government and the rent was $800. There were nobody to help

buy groceries, we had food stamp but my kids were hungry

because we did not know where to find a grocery store and how

to get there. ” (wife-41 and huband-44 with 7 children, staying in

the U.S. for 5 months)

36

Resettlement – Early stage

Barriers to service access

“We had access to health care there provided by UNHCR. If there is

lack of health care it is in the U.S. not in the refugee camps.” (43,

Somali man with 4 children, who has stayed in the U.S. for six months)

No cultural community/ lack of interpretation services

“There were only ten Somalis in town. I couldn‟t get an interpreter at

the hospital when my kid was sick.”

Loss of social support (even from camp)

“We got along with the residents of the camp. They were all Somali.

We relied on each other. They would give you food when you run out

and vice versa. They were there for us and we were there for us when

needed. Now I have no one with me.”

37

Resettlement – Early stage

Loss of social support

“I don‟t have a chance, time, energy or transportation to

maintain a social life. It‟s just me and my kids. ...... In my

country, you had a chance to socialize, but there is just no

time in America. Twelve hours here is like one hour back

home. It is because I have no help. Help even comes in the

form of social activity, but nobody has time here because

they are busy with their own lives.”

38

Resettlement – Secondary migration

Unable to get proper services/interventions

“Arizona was our first settlement when we came to the US. The

agencies that resettled us had prepared an apartment for us in

which they paid the rent for the first three month. The kids were

enrolled in school and were away the most part of the day. It

was a very strange and new environment for us at first. I didn‟t

know where to start life. I wanted to work and support my family

both here and back home but wasn‟t able to. The three months

ended and I had to come up with half of the four month rent

which was $310. I didn't have any means in mind to pay that

amount. I then decided to leave for Minnesota and even then

didn‟t have any means to travel. The few Somalis we met there

helped and contributed to our bus fare to Minnesota.”

39

Secondary migration

“I first arrive in Portland, Maine. I left Maine because I got sick and needed

help with my disabled son, so I was looking for Somalis. I came to Boston to

have surgery [for my son]. When I had surgery, people tried to take my kids

from me so I got scared. There were no interpreters and no Somalis. I went to

Boston because I was told I would find a good doctor for my disabled son,

but I didn‟t end up finding one. I regret leaving Maine because I was given a

5 bedroom home with a ramp. ... ... When I came to Boston, I went to a

shelter and the welfare office. The welfare office put us in a hotel that

resembled a shelter, and it was expensive so the government took us to

„western hotel‟‟. We stayed there for 4 months and we could not get a home

because of the same issue that we had in Maine. Finally a few Somali

families put some money together for us so that we could come to Minnesota.

When I came to Minnesota, I encountered problems of conflict because 8

people cannot live in one family. ... ... I have been looking for a house for 4

months.” (38, A single Somali mother with 7 sons)

40

Resettlement – Later stage

Loss of job

“I worked for the company for six years. A new manager didn‟t like

me and he fired me. When I tried to find a new job, he refused to

write a reference letter for me. I applied for so many jobs but

couldn‟t find one. I was kicked out three months after then.” (41, a

Congolese mother with 3 children, who have stayed in the U.S. for 10

years)

Family conflict (domestic violence)

“My husband did not only steal my bank card where welfare for my

kids deposit, but also threatened my brother whom I lived together

and said he would kill him [my brother] if he wouldn‟t leave the house

by that night. I left the house with three of my kids that night.”

41

Resettlement – Later stage

Family conflict (due to cultural issues)

“After I got married to him [who is a Christian], my

family don‟t talk to me. My mom and my brothers

believe in shamanism. It took almost five years to have

conversation with my mom but I don‟t feel really close

to her. Maybe so does she. My brother lives in a four-

bedroom house with his wife. But they don‟t know me

that I am staying in this place [homeless shelter].” (38, a

Lao women with 3 kids, who stayed in the U.S. for 26

years)

42

Living as a homeless

“In the refugee camps, we only had to had fear and

hunger. We have to pay off the crops. However, we are

worst of here [in the U.S.] because we don‟t know the

language, we can‟t defend ourselves. My children get

beat up but they get in trouble because they can‟t

speak the language.” (42, a Somali father of 8

children)

43

Living in a shelter

Strict regulations & distress

“It [the shelter] is obviously better looking than what we called

home for 19 years [refuge camps]. But it‟s not restful at all and I

would say our shanty hut was more restful because we didn‟t

have to worry about being kicked out the following morning.

Because of the strict rules, I have to constantly monitor the

children‟s movement and make sure they don‟t raise their voices

high enough to attract attention, make sure they don‟t jump

around and break anything that will have us kicked out. These

restrictions have really put me and the children in a prison-like

confinement. I barely get any sleep because of worrying about

the situation.” (38, Somali single woman with 7 sons including one

with physical disabilities)

44

Impact of housing insecurity

Mental health issues (both parents and children)

“The only thing I would say is (that) worrying is unstableness of

shelter. We are stressed and constantly worried about when

our time will expire and be kicked out of the shelter.” (38, a

Hmong mother with eleven children)

“We were practically helpless when we were told to pay a

half of the fourth month‟s rent in Arizona. I didn‟t have any

way of paying that amount by myself. The kids looked wary

and always asked what would happen next. I learned through

people that I would find more community support in Minnesota

and therefore decided to pack and leave for Minnesota.” (41,

a single Somali mother with seven children)

45

Impact of housing insecurity

Negative change in family relationships

“They [my kids] perceive me differently because I tend to be

extra harsh and strict on them about playing around and

touching things that might result in us being kicked out of this

place. I‟m forced to keep a constant eye on them.”

Distrust in service systems

“There are a lot of empty houses out there. There is not a

single small one for me and my kids. Company can give you a

hard time. School teachers give you a hard time. Neighbors

give you a hard time. America gives you a hard time.”

46

Strengths and Preventive Factors

Survivals of tremendous atrocities

Stable family systems before migration (resilience)

Children with great resilience and cultural

adjustment (a “cultural broker” between parents

and social systems)

Informal helping sources within the community (ex.

extended families and/or clan)

Connected with social system (until losing the

connection after benefits are over)

47

Implications

Refugee homelessness is better understood in the

contexts of forced migration and resettlement

process.

Unique backgrounds of each refugee group should be

considered

Integral policy and services for supporting

resettlement process

Health/mental health, education, employment &

acculturation are highly associated with housing

Culturally sensitive housing support

Understand family structure, strengthening refugee

community

48

Implications

Understanding change in needs

Early stage (arrival – less than a year)

transportation, language & social support for service access

cultural orientation

secondary migration

Integral services (ex. Case management)

Later stage (after five years)

more resources

Trust

strengthening families and communities

49

Toward Stable Housing

Linking Policy/Services

Bridging

Communities

Bonding

Families

• Connecting resources between refugee and host communities

• Intercultural capacity building

• Informal social support matters (building healthy community)

• Strengthening families in social integration process

• Culturally responsive,

integral policy intervention

• Services relevant to

changing needs

50

RSHN Success Stories: Fartun

Fartun is a 24 year refugee mother who was trying to support her three young children while her husband tried to find work in another state. Through RSHN she was able to save her housing, which helped create the stability she needed to be able to attend school and search for a job. Within 5 months Fartun found employment and has maintained it since. What I find most astonishing is how Fartun has been able to rebound from some very unfortunate events and gain strength and self-confidence with each one. Weeks after finding employment her husband was killed in a car accident. Fartun has since moved to a new apartment, gotten her driver‟s permit and is practicing for her driver‟s test, and has improved her English skills. In the 11 months Fartun has been in this program she has gone from very, very limited English to helping her case manager and others interpret for other clients during home visits and workshops. She attends our Women‟s Group and helps other women in similar situations find the resources they need to improve their situations. Despite her hardships, her self-confidence continues to soar.

51

RSHN Success story: Hibaq

Hibaq was a 20 year old refugee woman who was living on the street when she was enrolled into RSHN. Every night she would find a different friend‟s car to sleep in while she applied and waited to be approved for housing. She was moved into housing a month later. Since she moved into housing 3 months ago she has gone from no English to having basic conversation with her case manager in English. She attended Ready for Success and received clothing and quickly found a part time job. Although her employment ended due to her FedEx branch closing, she has been meeting with her employment counselor multiple times a week to find a new income. She attends our Women‟s Support Groups and is always waiting at the door when we pick her up. All of this shows her progress on her goals, but what I find the most impressive is the level of self-confidence she has gained from this experience. Hibaq now walks around with a light in her eyes that was absent when she was enrolled. She has absolutely blossomed during her participation in this program!

52

RSHN Success: “Moua”

In 2006, at age 17, “Moua” arrived to the United states with his parents and 4 younger siblings. Three years later, when he was 20, both of his parents died in a car crash and he and his 18 year old wife became guardian of his younger siblings ages 9,11,13 and 15 years old. When MCC met “Moua” and his wife in November of 2009 they were expecting their first child at any moment. They moved into an affordable 3 bedroom apartment secured through the RSHN program the day their child was born. “Moua” and his wife and siblings were all born in a refugee camp in Thailand. This was the first permanenthousing of their lifetime. In April of 2011 the family graduated from the RSHN program due to increase in income. Prior to being housed by the RSHN program, the family lived together in a shelter for nearly one year. As of today, they remain in the first and only house they have ever been able to call home.

53

Contact Information

Rachele King (Rachele.King@MNChurches.org)

Hyojin Im (hyojin@umn.edu)

Disclaimer: Some of the contents are under publication and protected by copy

rights from the publisher. Please contact Hyojin Im to use or cite any part of the

slides 17 – 50. Thank you!

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