SILVER SPRING, Md. — Dozens of refugee families from Syria and Afghanistan resettled in Montgomery County over the past year, and are now at risk of eviction after months of unpaid rent. The families, placed by refugee aid agencies in the Enclave Apartments in Silver Spring, say they have been left struggling without the promised support from these organizations.
Over the last month, the situation has escalated, with some families receiving formal eviction notices. Refugees WUSA9 spoke with say aid groups that initially promised to help with resettling have left them in the lurch.
Unmet Promises and Unpaid Rent
Two of the affected families’ fathers, Zakarya Khirallah and Ghulam Mohammad Mirzaei, shared their stories with the help of translators. Both men were resettled by different nonprofit refugee agencies.
“They told us that as soon as you arrive, you don’t have to worry about the rent. But that didn’t happen,” Khirallah said.
However, as time passed, Khirallah said those promises faded, leaving the families unable to pay thousands of dollars in back rent. Mirzaei echoed these frustrations, stating that when he reached out for help, the aid agencies had little to offer.
“The settlement agency replied that we cannot help you. We don’t have a separate budget for rent,” he added.
Aid Agencies Respond
WUSA9 wanted to know what went wrong. However, the refugee aid organizations involved in resettling these families have been slow to provide answers.
The Ethiopian Community Development Council did not respond to requests for comment, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), which was also involved, issued a statement expressing concern over the issue but did not go into specifics.
“We are troubled that some of our clients have been affected by ongoing eviction concerns with a particular housing complex in Montgomery County,” the IRC said in a statement. "We ceased placing new arrivals in this complex earlier this fiscal year because of repeated issues."
The IRC did not elaborate on the issues with the housing complex.
The statement went on to say:
“We are working on a case-by-case basis to identify solutions with affected IRC clients and have been actively engaged in advocacy efforts with state officials, council members, and other local stakeholders to explore potential solutions. The IRC is dedicated to helping refugees rebuild their lives, focusing on financial stability and secure housing.
We’ll continue supporting engaged clients and collaborating with local partners to find sustainable housing solutions. As leaders in advocacy and outreach, we remain committed to helping refugees achieve stability and self-reliance, with the support of the Montgomery County community.”
Local Officials Push for Action
Montgomery County officials confirmed that 50 refugee families have been affected by the issue. Many are facing the possibility of eviction as they struggle to navigate the complexities of resettlement, including finding employment and learning English, all while trying to meet basic living expenses.
The situation has prompted local leaders to step in. Montgomery County Councilwoman Kristin Mink is working with some of the aid agencies and other officials to find a solution.
"The goal is to try to keep people housed, obviously," she said.
“You know, there's federal money that comes to the resettlement agencies to help support these families and make sure that they're able to find homes and get settled and become stable,” Mink explained about the process. “The state helps to administer that with the resettlement agencies and then the county is here providing support as needed.”
However, with the county council set to go on recess in mid-December, time is running out to secure funding before the break.
“We’re looking for something from the county executive that the council can consider very, very soon,” she said. “Our goal is to make sure these families can stay in stable housing while they continue to resettle here.”
WUSA9 has made several attempts to reach management at the Enclave apartments, but has received no response.