Afghan refugees get help in Santa Fe, but housing still an 'urgent need'
Jan. 25—Nineteen Afghan refugees have received a strong show of generosity from Santa Feans in the form of donated goods and assistance.
But most have found only temporary lodging and are unable to use the donated goods sitting in storage while they wait for a more permanent home in a city with a tight housing market.
"The donation response has been tremendous," said Susan Oupadia, a retired doctor who oversees items donated through the Santa Fe branch of the nonprofit Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains. "It's so good, in fact, that we've had to stop because we don't have any more storage space."
One storage unit is filled with furniture, and another is stuffed with household supplies, Oupadia said. And none of it has any place to go.
"Housing has really been tough," Oupadia said. "So we're having a really hard time finding rentals. We're hopeful we'll find something soon."
Sahar Nisar, Santa Fe program coordinator for the faith-based nonprofit, said it's difficult for the refugees to get into apartments because they lack the usual things Americans have, such as an employment and rental history, a Social Security card and other documentation.
"Housing is our urgent need right now," Nisar said. "These are unprecedented challenges. We're working tirelessly to overcome them."
To surmount this obstacle, landlords must be willing to work with the organization and allow the refugees some leeway, Nisar said, adding finding a home is a key step to becoming self-sufficient in a new country.
Housing is a problem she would like to resolve as soon as possible, given another 80 Afghan refugees are expected to arrive in Santa Fe in the next 90 days.
The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan following the final withdrawal of U.S. troops, leading to the immediate evacuation of 82,000 people and thousands more since. Some had been housed at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo. By mid-December, a couple of hundred were resettled in New Mexico through a federal program.
Refugees in Santa Fe now are staying in an Airbnb that has a contract with Lutheran Family Services, she said. Each person receives a one-time federal payment of $1,225 to help with resettlement — but that doesn't go far.
They also are eligible for state assistance, such as food aid.
Oupadia said the refugees will have to find work to become truly self-sufficient. Many can barely speak English, which will limit their job prospects, but they're fortunate to land in New Mexico at a time when employers are desperate for workers, she said.
Oupadia said she also has a special place in her heart for refugees and began volunteering in August.
She belongs to a group called the Socially Responsible Women of Santa Fe. Some of the members help her gather the donated stuff and put it in storage. The household goods are an assortment of kitchen wares, towels, blankets, linens and toiletries.
"These people came here with nothing, so they need everything," Oupadia said.
She also is among the volunteers co-sponsoring a refugee family for a year.
A co-sponsor teaches family members how to speak basic English and how to navigate the city and shop in American stores, and even drives them to appointments if they don't have a car.
"We want to help them start a new life here because they have no life they can go back to now," Oupadia said.
