Long Way Home?: The Plight of African Refugees Obtaining Decent Housing in Western Sydney

This research project was conducted by the ANGLICARE Sydney Social Policy & Research Unit (SP&RU) in partnership with ANGLICARE Sydney Migrant & Refugee Services (MARS). The formal research question engaged in the report is: Is the housing assistance given to African refugees sufficient to help them to secure decent medium to long term housing in Western Sydney? The project methodology involved structured interviews with key stakeholders including 21 African refugees living in Western Sydney, 6 settlement workers, 3 housing workers and 1 real estate agent. African community members were asked questions about their expectations and experience of accessing affordable housing. Settlement and housing workers were asked about the efficacy of existing assistance strategies designed to help African refugee’s secure housing. Data from these interviews was analysed with a focus on the discrepancy between expectations about what helps and the lived experience of obtaining housing. Discussion in the report is interspersed with selected quotes from African community members, settlement workers and housing workers. Overall, this research found evidence for current housing assistance strategies benefiting African refugees. Access to reliable financial options and one on one case-management are two strategies that are clearly assisting recent refugees in their search for secure housing in Western Sydney. However, significant further interventions are needed in order to successfully house African refugees in decent and sustainable dwellings. In light of this, the report makes a number of recommendations.