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Integrated Urban Shelter Project

Integrated Urban Shelter Project. Access to Secure and Adequate Housing for Syrian Refugees living in Host Communities in Jordan. Contextual Background. War in Syria entering fourth year with no foreseeable resolution in the near future. 80% of Syrian refugees in Jordan live outside camps.

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Integrated Urban Shelter Project

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  1. Integrated Urban Shelter Project Access to Secure and Adequate Housing for Syrian Refugees living in Host Communities in Jordan

  2. Contextual Background • War in Syria entering fourth year with no foreseeable resolution in the near future • 80% of Syrian refugees in Jordan live outside camps • Disproportionate humanitarian response focusing on camp activities • Infrastructure within host communities, strained even before Syrian crisis, unable to cope • Rising tensions between host community and refugee population over limited resources • 47% of communities stated conflict over housing as a source of tension

  3. Shelter Challenges in Host Community • Refugees are unable to pay rent – savings have been depleted, many have accrued high debt and are at risk of exploitation • Support is needed, but direct rental support (cash-for-rent) may have inflationary effect on market and contribute to host community tensions • Refugees lack security of tenure and standard leases heavily favour landlords, increasing rates and risks of eviction • Affordable accommodation is often inaccessible to basic essential services, including health and education

  4. Barriers to Security of Tenure • Syrian refugees often do not formalize written leases or register with municipalities • Lack of clear information regarding Jordanian landlord-tenant regulations • No coordinated system for monitoring of evictions • Lack of secure lease may affect refugees ability to obtain legal status and may expose them to exploitation • Refugees reluctant to approach police or courts to assert their rights

  5. Opportunities for Intervention • Root problem is inadequate number of shelters available for growing needs amongst Syrians and Jordanians • Unfinished buildings are common in Jordan. Incremental construction is done as money is available and new apartments generally kept within family and provided to adult children • Banks offer loans at high interest rates and home loans or mortgages are uncommon

  6. Shelter Approach - Simplified • “Advertise” need for unfinished buildings within local community and owners contact NRC through hotline • NRC teams visit properties to determine suitability and technical team prepare BoQ • Conditional payments up to 2,000 USD maximum provided in installments • Engineers follow-up through implementation and confirm when property completed and can move in • Assessment and selection of Syrian families based on vulnerability criteria and referrals from UNHCR/INGOS • Lease agreements prepared and signed by landlord and tenants for between 12 to 18 months

  7. ICLA Approach - Simplified • Handover of cases from Shelter following move-in • ICLA case managers conduct outreach visits during first month and distribute one-time moving cash grants • Follow-up visits with both landlord and tenants conducted every two months for duration of lease • Case managers trained in mediation to be able to resolve disputes between landlord and tenants • Information and counselling on access to essential services, legal status and other protection issues • Housing, land and property (HLP) legal guidance and support to NRC Shelter and external shelter actors

  8. Programme To Date Since Urban Shelter programme began in July 2013: • 658 contracts signed • 4,445 Syrian refugees moved into new shelter • 1,370 housing units completed • 681 cash grants distributed • 1,797 outreach visits • 484 information and counselling services provided

  9. Urban Shelter Funding Breakdown • Funding for Urban Shelter programme currently provided by BPRM, DFID, ECHO, CIDA and UNHCR • Additional funding for current ICLA activities through SIDA and NMFA • Current humanitarian funding focus, though may shift

  10. Next Steps • Geographic expansion into Jerash, Ajloun and potentially Zarqa by end-2014 • Group information sessions on HLP and civil documentation issues through NGOs, CBOs and NRC Drop-In Centre • Improving host community-refugee relations by working with mukhtarsand community leaders • Further development and dissemination of HLP guidance as Shelter Working Group co-lead • Undertake research on women’s HLP rights amongst Syrian refugees

  11. Questions?

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