Date of Award

6-16-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Department

Public Administration

First Advisor

Dr. Greg Maher

Abstract

Ongoing affordable housing and housing supply challenges in the US are presenting significant challenges for refugees. According to the US Census Bureau, the average monthly cost of rent plus the cost of utilities and fuels adjusted for inflation grew faster annually (3.8%) than real median home values (1.8%) in 2023 for the first time in 10 years. This is the largest annual increase in rental costs since 2011 (US Census Bureau, 2024). Homelessness has also increased by 18% since 2023 (USDHUD, 2024, pg. 3). Even in this current reality, the federal policies for housing refugees haven’t changed in over a decade. Refugees are increasingly more vulnerable to unsafe and unaffordable housing options due to staffing capacities at local resettlement agencies (LRAs), a lack of required documentation, discrimination, and the fluctuation of administrative changes affecting stakeholder relationships and engagement. Between the Trump administration in 2016, to the Biden administration in 2020, and again back to the Trump administration in 2025, LRA’s street-level bureaucrats have adapted while decreasing and increasing their capacity to serve and house refugees. Adoptions of refugee housing models have emerged in response to administrations and the lack of policy changes in refugee housing. The intention of this research was to answer the question, “How have local refugee resettlement agencies responded to the housing crisis with changes in administrations?” and to highlight a sample size of four local resettlement agencies' responses and adaptations of refugee housing models implemented in Trump’s first administration and the Biden administration, as well as assessing the future of those models with a change back to the Trump administration. Data was collected in February 2024 and again in March 2025 from surveys, focus groups, one- on-one interviews, and national housing data from The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2024 Gap report. Interviewees included Resettlement Directors, Reception and Placement (R&P) Program Managers, and dedicated housing staff from various LRAs across the Midwest, South, and East Coast regions. The research findings are supported in answering the research question by understanding the administrative environment of when they were implemented, what the response was to the environment, what services were provided, and what the housing outcomes were for refugees. Findings suggest responses to the housing crisis for LRAs vary by geographical location, services provided, responses to administration changes, and housing outcomes for refugees. Even though all LRAs had a designated housing staff member, they still expressed difficulty in securing affordable housing with rising rents and providing housing solutions for refugees. Different housing models have emerged and will likely continue to do so. Recommendations of continued housing models, collaborations, interagency partnerships, application reform, education, and increased support for fair housing expand support for refugee housing outcomes in evolving administrative landscapes. In January 2025, restrictive federal policies indefinitely suspended the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), terminated contracts with both national and local resettlement 3 agencies, and withheld critical funding. These actions created major challenges for resettlement agencies, leading to thousands of staff layoffs nationwide. Although the four housing models were evaluated in March 2025, the long-term impact on refugee housing outcomes remains uncertain. Amid this evolving landscape, LRAs continue to demonstrate adaptability and resilience.

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