Home truths in York over Afghan refugees – William Gomes

Affordable housing is a key problem in York, because the development of social housing has not kept pace with increasing demand. Waiting times for social housing in York, as in much of the UK, can extend into decades.

Under neo-liberalism, housing has not been seen as a human right, but rather a commodity. Moreover, private sector rental rates are prohibitively expensive, either being excessive in and of themselves, or placing pressures on funds for other basic needs such as food or clothing.

When Syrian refugees were first resettled in York in 2016, it was decided that they would be housed in privately rented accommodation. Prima facie, this represents a violation of their rights, because refugees have a right to social housing.

While this did not mean they were not allowed to go onto the social housing list later when they settled into the city, the waiting times for social housing imply that few will ever access it.

The same approach appears likely to be taken with housing Afghan refugees who come to live in the city. The issue is a human-rights issue, and it can be better addressed when the city recognises housing as a human right. The discussion for change could start from there. 

Whether Syrian or Afghan or from other countries of origin, all refugees have one thing in common: they have lost their home and are looking for a new home. In this case, it is in York.

Housing plays a crucial role in an individual’s health and wellbeing, and often contributes to which school their children will attend, as well as the crime rate, employment opportunities and many other factors to which the individual will be exposed.

Therefore, refugees must be housed in affordable housing, but at the same time in the area that is welcoming to refugees. If refugees are placed in areas where they will face hostility and racism, this will obviously impact on their health and wellbeing. 

The local housing policies and guidelines need to keep such factors in mind. Additionally, specific refugee-focused housing policies need to be developed; local councillors, MPs and charity workers need to be trained specifically around these issues; and remedies need to be in place to address problems that may arise, and provide rehousing if required. 

If refugees are housed among an organised welcoming host community, there will be more opportunity for bonds and connections to develop between refugee families and the people supporting them.

When a refugee family is resettled in York following this model, they would be assigned a case worker from one of the two relevant local charities, either Refugee Action York or City of Sanctuary.

Refugees would receive a visit from their case worker two to three times a week, but through organised community friends from their neighbourhood, the refugee families would have daily contact with their group members. Such increased contact will help refugees to develop strong bonds with the people in their new local areas.

This form of targeted housing that I am advocating for will increase contact between the refugee families and their local communities. It will also increase the opportunities for family members to absorb English, practise their conversational skills in relaxed settings, and build up their confidence.

Through such targeted housing, refugee families will receive support 
from people with local expertise and these new friendships will enhance community cohesion, and provide a chance to put commitments to equality and diversity into practice in everyday life.

However, everything starts with housing the refugees in an appropriate and welcoming neighbourhood. To achieve this, local charities need to be adequately funded, so that they can work together with the local city council and the local community to form a local welcoming group. But a significant gap in the current system is that refugees and the local community remain isolated from each other, which leads to a failure of integration. Local communities need to play their part in welcoming refugees into the areas that they call home.

William Gomes is a human-rights activist in York and freelance journalist.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click here to subscribe.