Recommendations for Housing

One of the housing challenges facing immigrants is the smaller pool of landlords who show or clearly communicate a willingness to rent to immigrant families. Landlords may feel uncomfortable renting to immigrants due to language concerns or a lack of understanding about an immigrant’s culture or legal status. Others may be willing to rent to immigrants, but have little connection with immigrant communities and are relatively unknown by those populations. Because many immigrants may not trust an unknown landlord or may be afraid of discrimination or a hostile reception, they may rely on only working with landlords they know and not pursuing new housing opportunities. These circumstances limit the number of housing options available to immigrant families, forcing them to find more expensive or lower quality options.

Advocates, nonprofit organizations, and government officials should conduct outreach to local landlords regarding renting to immigrant families. By having advocates and other allies make connections with landlords willing to rent to immigrants, it will create a growing pool of potential housing options which will increase household availability, quality, and affordability. This would also provide an opportunity for education on immigrant issues, reducing the concerns of landlords over renting to immigrant communities. And it would give advocates an opportunity to provide a simple screening of landlords, allowing them to quickly identify any landlords who would be particularly unwelcoming of immigrant tenants.

While this kind of outreach could be done informally by volunteers, utilizing a more formal program connected with local housing departments or nonprofit organizations may allow advocates to contact a greater number of landlords and provide greater reassurance to landlords concerned about renting to immigrant tenants.

Models to consider:

The City of Dubuque’s 2019 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice report identifies targeted outreach and education of landlords unwilling to accepted Housing Choice Vouchers as one of its priority actions. A similar effort could be used with landlords around renting to immigrant families. The report also recommends implementing communication and trust-building activities for landlords and tenants such as “Meet and Lease” events. Similar events could also help build trust between potential landlords and immigrant tenants.
- https://www.cityofdubuque.org/DocumentCenter/View/44569/City_of_Dubuque_2019_Analysis_of_Impediments
The International Rescue Committee launched a messaging campaign to tenants regarding the benefits of renting to refugees and Afghan evacuees.
- https://www.rescue.org/announcement/landlords-renting-refugees-and-afghan-evacuees

As noted in the previous recommendation, some landlords may be reluctant to rent to immigrants. This could be due to a lack of cultural understanding, concerns about language barriers, uncertainty about an individual’s immigration status, doubts about the individual’s ability to maintain a consistent income, or a host of other concerns, whether grounded in truth or not. One of the underlying causes running through each of these concerns is an absence of trust, often brought on by preconceived notions about immigrants or inexperience with that community. While this trust can be built over time through exposure and relationships with immigrant individuals, the initial barrier can make it difficult for landlords and immigrants to reach an agreement.

There may be an opportunity for advocates and allies to play a role in improving trust between landlords and immigrant tenants by serving as references and supports for immigrants. Having a coalition of volunteers or organizational staff that engages from the beginning with a landlord on behalf of an immigrant and that provides assistance during initial negotiations could be a major support to an immigrant looking to move into an unfamiliar location. Connecting a landlord with a team of two or three individuals or organizations who can help with translation, communication, and assurances about concerns like legal status may make that landlord more willing to work with immigrant families.

This support can also continue after the immigrant has moved into the new housing, providing additional advocacy and communication. For example, the coalition could work with the landlord if the tenant falls behind in rent, help explain new policies to the immigrant family, or negotiate in the case of a conflict or issue. This could not only provide the tenant with additional support and advocacy, but could reassure the landlord that the tenant will be reliable.

Models to consider:

Advocates for domestic violence survivors sometimes work with landlords in order to create partnerships that help survivors find housing and reduce the risk of conflict or eviction. Many of the strategies utilized by these advocates could potentially be valuable to advocates for immigrants as well. Safe Housing Partnerships provides a strategy guide for survivor advocates working with landlords, and Violence Free Colorado provides a toolkit that includes suggestions for engaging with landlords.
- Safe Housing Partnerships: https://safehousingpartnerships.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/Landlords_Evictions_Engagement_NASH_1.pdf;
- Violence Free Colorado: https://www.violencefreecolorado.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Toolkit-for-Addressing-Housing-Barriers-for-Victims-of-Domestic-Violence-updated-9.2018.pdf
While this kind of support can be done by one individual or organization, it may be valuable to have a coalition of individuals and organizations take on the role for each immigrant. These multiple contacts would provide additional reassurances for landlords, reduce the burden on any one advocate, and help avoid any key-individual risks. See Build Case Management “Networks” in the Case Management section for a possible model for this type of engagement.

Support for home ownership is also a major need among certain immigrant communities. While the small numbers in question make it difficult for Census Bureau estimates to give exact numbers, data seems to indicate that a minority of immigrant families own their own home. For example, between 2015 and 2020, the American Community Survey estimated than anywhere from 22 to 0 Pacific Islander households in Dubuque were owned by the occupants.[1] Within the past year, a Guatemalan Mayan individual became one of the first in her community to obtain a mortgage and purchase a house. In Iowa, 50% of foreign-born households are owner-occupied, compared to 72% for the native population.[2]

Home ownership is a powerful goal for residents in this region, not only because of the stability and homelife benefits that it can bring, but also because it provides families with an opportunity to build equity in their homes. With immigrant’s living in poverty at more than two times the rate of the native-born population,[3] this avenue of building assets could be valuable for accumulating long-term wealth. However, immigrants often face challenges obtaining mortgages due to poor credit history, debt, limited relationships with financial lenders, and other barriers. Immigration status can also be a significant challenge.

Supporting immigrants with accessing mortgages and with home ownership will help create that financial growth and increase retention of immigrant families within this area. Both immigrant support organizations and financial institutions should consider strategies to increase home ownership among immigrant populations.

Models to consider:

The Tri-State VIATS and other Dubuque-area partners raised money to help a Guatemalan woman make a down payment for a mortgage to buy a new house. This kind of financial support can be beneficial for helping overcome initial hurdles for accessing financing.
The International Institute of St. Louis provides multiple supports for immigrants looking to buy a home. These include trainings, such as a housing workshop that explains different loans, and a homebuyer’s training course. They also offer Individual Development Accounts, where participants save money towards an asset purchase, and funds are matched by funding provided by the United Way and Office of Refugee Resettlement. For first-time home buyers, they can receive a 3:1 match of up to $8,000 total, as long as they stay involved in the program for 6 to 24 months and participate in training at the Institute. As part of the process, the Institute also helps them access a secured loan for their home purchase.
- https://www.iistl.org/
The Resurrection Project developed TRP Lending, a non-profit mortgage lender in Illinois that is aimed at providing mortgages to low- and moderate-income households that may lack access to conventional financing. Financial products offered to immigrants have low monthly payments and no requirements to pay for private mortgage insurance, among other benefits.
- https://resurrectionproject.org/affordable-mortgage-lending/

Here for you. Alex Baum Director of Advocacy, Data and Learning alex@dbqfoundation.org 563-588-2700

Recommendations for Housing

1. Advocate for Affordable, Quality Housing

2. Provide Additional Trainings on Tenants Rights

3 Practice Outreach to Landlords

4 Form an Immigrant Housing Ally Coalition

5 Provide Support for Mortgages

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