Housing Experiences and Integration of Migrants and Refugees
Summary
Housing constitutes a pivotal domain in the integration of migrants and refugees, shaping their social, economic and health outcomes. Secure, adequate housing fosters stability, access to education, employment and social networks, while inadequate or precarious conditions exacerbate exclusion, poor physical health and mental distress. Integration pathways vary widely according to policy frameworks, local housing markets and support structures. Social housing provision, private rental sectors and transitions from shelters to permanent accommodation each present distinct opportunities and barriers. Micro-level factors such as family and co-ethnic ties interplay with meso-level actors—non-governmental organisations, municipal authorities—and macro-structural elements including asylum regulations and welfare policies. Global case studies illustrate how overcrowding, energy deprivation and discriminatory practices undermine well-being, whereas collaborative urban planning, minimum housing standards and stakeholder coordination can enhance resilience and participation. Understanding these multidimensional experiences is essential for designing policies that ensure dignity, stability and equitable access to housing resources for all newcomers.
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Housing Experiences and Integration of Migrants and Refugees publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in housing experiences and integration of migrants and refugees across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Social housing: Housing provided or regulated by public authorities at below-market rents to ensure access for low-income or vulnerable groups.
Housing precariousness: A condition of insecure tenure, overcrowding or inadequate living standards that poses risks to physical and mental health.
Path dependency: The tendency of policy and practice to be shaped by historical decisions, constraining future options in housing allocation or integration strategies.
Energy deprivation: Inability to secure adequate warmth, light and power within the home due to poor building standards, high costs or restrictive policies.
References
- Hostile Environments: Housing and Asylum Policies as Drivers of Energy Deprivation Among UK Refugee Communities. Housing Theory and Society (2024).
- From collective centres to private accommodation: housing trajectories of asylum migrants in Switzerland. Housing Studies (2024).
- ‘Our home, your home?’ The precarious housing pathways of asylum seekers in Catalonia. Housing Studies (2022).
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