Housing condition and preferences of refugee immigrants in Dallas, TX

Abstract

Refugee immigrants face unique challenges during resettlement in a new country or society, as they are often traumatized by events in their own country of origin, or through the perilous journey of escape over transit countries. They experience several obstacles in the process of cultural adaptation to community life in the US including adequate housing and therefore they can benefit from considerable support for resettlement. Several past literatures have identified various barriers including financial conditions that make the process of finding adequate housing challenging for refugee immigrants in the US. Among them are Myanmar refugees, who have faced decades of discrimination under their native government before they fled from their country, and received the least attention in academic literature focusing on their needs and issues particular to housing. The goal of this study is to explore and understand the current housing and living conditions of the Myanmar refugee immigrants and the factors leading to such conditions. Past researchers have identified the cultural and social background of refugees as influential factors behind the selection of housing. The unique contribution of this study is field level data collected from private residences of Myanmar refugee immigrants in the Vickery Meadow area of Dallas, TX, focusing on their environmental health and well-being specifically in relation to housing as a determinant of health. Dallas has been selected as the study site since it has been listed as one of the top cities with the most Myanmar refugee immigrants.Adopting a qualitative research method strategy, data was collected using multiple approaches including survey, focus group interviews and in-home visits over a period of three months. The primary factor influencing housing desirability and affordability, as identified in this study is financial condition followed by proximity to relatives and/or friends, access to public transportation, school, neighborhood safety and cleanliness of the unit. Overall, this refugee population have shown signs of adapting their lifestyle to cope with the current housing condition, including interior aesthetical improvement, growing native food in the small available patio or balcony area, and cooking outside in backyard, balcony, or patio.This study on the living conditions of the Myanmar refugee population is a first of its kind in the urban community of Vickery Meadow area of Dallas, TX. The results identified through this research will contribute towards the existing efforts to help with the resettlement process of this refugee population. Future studies can use the results of this research to identify and highlight some program recommendations to the local resettlement agencies in the Dallas, TX area and the state and federal government on how to address the housing affordability, need and quality issues during the resettlement process of immigrant refugees.