We identified three prominent housing issues. The following table gives an overview of our findings:
The most pressing issue that focus groups expressed in regards to housing was the size of the apartment or house they were given. To properly accommodate all members of the families, a home that has many spaces is essential, however, upon arrival, families did not find that to be the case. The next issue that arose was the high price of rent or buying a house. The government does not give enough aid upon arrival for a suitable home and does not continue to support families through their ventures to buy homes when they are ready. The final problem was the barriers in language when asking for help or support during the process of buying or renting homes. From the government or community partners there was not enough support, so as a solution refugees would seek help from other members of the community to translate. While using individuals from the community is a positive reinforcement, there are often other issues regarding housing that community partners and the government can offer.
Small home for a large family
Participants often mentioned the frustration and difficulties of finding suitable accommodations for their family. Some of them were crammed into small spaces, often because of high housing costs.
Expensive rent
One of the most pressing issues among the refugees we spoke with was the high cost of rent in the Greater Hartford area. With the exception of Hartford itself, most surrounding towns are very expensive by comparison. This is also a very pressing issue because their children’s access to schooling is also limited by this.
Few resources for info (around buying a house)
Many refugees expressed a struggle to find information around buying a house and how to plan for it. This also intersects with language as much information around this issue is only available in English.