Housing in Place: Housing, Neighbourhood and Resettlement for People from Refugee and Asylum Seeker Backgrounds in Australia

Abstract

Housing is an important part of building a new life for people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. However, relatively little is known about how housing and neighbourhood experiences affect resettlement and integration. This paper explored experiences of housing and neighbourhood for refugees and asylum seekers in South Australia, Australia. A survey was completed by 423 participants, recruited through service providers, community networks and snowball sampling. Data was analysed using frequencies, chi-square analyses and multivariate logistic regression. The study identified aspects of housing and neighbourhood that were important to participants, as well as highlighting key problems. Housing satisfaction and neighbourhood satisfaction were positively associated, but housing satisfaction was lower than neighbourhood satisfaction. Both were significantly associated with overall satisfaction with life in Australia, although only neighbourhood satisfaction remained significant in the final multivariate model (alongside region of origin, visa and financial situation). Overall, the findings suggest that where housing is situated may be more important for resettlement satisfaction and integration than the housing itself. Policy and practice implications of the findings are discussed, alongside considerations for conceptualising integration.