Learn about our new housing search platform partnership and updates to the Housing Hub & Directory!
Refugee Housing Solutions Partners with Nonprofit Technology Platform to Streamline Rental Matches Between Landlords and Resettled Refugees
RHS is pleased to announce the formalization of our partnership with ReHome to develop a web-based housing search software customized for refugees who arrive through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
Development of the platform, called the ReHome Marketplace, stems from a partnership between Church World Service (CWS), Refugee Housing Solutions, and ReHome.
Started in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) social impact and innovation ecosystem by a former CWS Lancaster office housing associate, ReHome uses its Marketplace to create housing matches between landlords committed to renting to newcomers and refugee tenants through an online housing search technology built for the unique needs of refugee tenants. So far, ReHome has helped house 13 refugee families, including one whose welcome story is shared in this new video.
RHS will work with ReHome to promote the platform, and the partnership will help match refugees to available housing, facilitating the process between resettlement agencies, landlords, and refugee tenants and strengthening what ReHome calls the Refugee-Welcoming Rental Market (RWRM).
HIAS Housing Guarantee Fund Year 2 Report
To help address at least one obstacle that refugees and other newcomers face when looking for safe, affordable housing in the U.S., HIAS created a Housing Guarantee Fund in May 2022. The fund succeeds when HIAS affiliate agencies backstop newcomer leases financially by co-signing or otherwise guaranteeing them, so landlords do not hesitate to welcome refugees as tenants. The Fund’s two-year history is detailed in a new report.
Coming Soon: Pennsylvania, Michigan, and California
The Housing Hub and Directory will go live next week in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and California. On the Housing Hub, users can easily navigate between service categories, view language-specific offerings, and identify eligible newcomer populations for each service. The Directory allows toggling between counties, providing stakeholders with comprehensive housing support information across regions. Users can also operate the Google Maps features to locate nearby public transportation by zooming in for the best experience.
Interested in bringing the Housing Hub and Directory to your state? Visit our website to submit resources and explore our available maps!
Refugee Housing Solutions is a project of Church World Service (CWS), which received a cooperative agreement through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, CA #90XR0092. The contents of the Housing Hub and Directory are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
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Discover opportunities to join a regional housing community of practice or become a member of the National Housing Working Group. Plus, don't miss out on our upcoming webinars and live trainings.
Upcoming Webinars & Meetings
Midwest Regional Housing Community of Practice
Wednesday, September 11 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
September’s regional housing Communities of Practice will feature an interactive format with all participants having an opportunity to share their housing challenge and, as importantly, housing breakthroughs and successes that others might replicate or adapt. RHS team members will facilitate the conversation to highlight and draw on all participants’ experience and expertise.
Southwest Regional Housing Community of Practice
Wednesday, September 18 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
September’s regional housing Communities of Practice will feature an interactive format with all participants having an opportunity to share their housing challenge and, as importantly, housing breakthroughs and successes that others might replicate or adapt. RHS team members will facilitate the conversation to highlight and draw on all participants’ experience and expertise.
Lunch and Learn: Weatherization During Welcome
Monday, September 23 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET
During this webinar with Refugee Welcome Collective, participants will gain valuable insights into how to implement practical weatherization techniques and discover affordable methods to save money year-round. Ultimately, this knowledge will leave them feeling more empowered and prepared to take control of their energy usage.
Northeast Regional Housing Community of Practice
Wednesday, September 25 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
September’s regional housing Communities of Practice will feature an interactive format with all participants having an opportunity to share their housing challenge and, as importantly, housing breakthroughs and successes that others might replicate or adapt. RHS team members will facilitate the conversation to highlight and draw on all participants’ experience and expertise.
West Regional Housing Community of Practice
Wednesday, October 2 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
September’s regional housing Communities of Practice will feature an interactive format with all participants having an opportunity to share their housing challenge and, as importantly, housing breakthroughs and successes that others might replicate or adapt. RHS team members will facilitate the conversation to highlight and draw on all participants’ experience and expertise.
Policy News
Afghan Refugees Find Housing Through a Creative Plan that Could Help Many More in the Face of a Policy GapWith perseverance and teamwork, a Boston congregation recently helped two large Afghan families who had been living in their church basement for two years relocate to a more traditional home setting – a classic Boston duplex. The families left Afghanistan as soon as they could after the country’s democratically elected government was forced out by the Taliban. Thanks to the pastor and congregation in Newburyport, MA, the families found a home at the St. Paul's Episcopal Church. While the situation was not ideal, the families’ and congregation’s persistence in looking for a better housing option led to an amazing outcome. |
Refugee Housing Planning Study in Omaha Reveals FindingsIn 2023, Restoring Dignity, a nonprofit that serves and advocates for refugees, conducted an extensive study on the housing situation for refugees in Omaha, NE. The study’s findings offer a variety of insights and takeaways for resettlement and housing stakeholders nationwide. |
Visit our News & Updates page for more news related to housing and refugee resettlement.
