August 25, 2021

The refugee resettlement work of International Institute of Los Angeles was recently featured in an LAist article, “SoCal’s High Housing Costs Snarl Afghan Refugee Resettlement.”

As the article states, we have already received several Afghan families in Los Angeles whom we are working to place in temporary housing while we secure permanent housing:

Landlords contacted by the International Institute of Los Angeles have raised their rents to cover losses during the pandemic, said Lilian Alba, the agency’s vice president of immigrant and refugee services. Some landlords are also requiring proof of income and established credit history that refugees lack.

Alba said the agency is now asking the public to temporarily open their homes for free or at reduced rent if they live in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino or Riverside counties. This will buy time for staff to find long-term housing for the refugees.

Learn more about our Act Now for Afghan Allies campaign and how you can get involved.