Inside The County

Refugee Resettlement

COUNTY READIES AID FOR AFGHAN ARRIVALS

Sacramento County taxpayers will assist Afghan refugees with a $5 million contingency fund set up by the Board of Supervisors, but only if federal authorities fail to come through with aid.

The fund refl ects the county’s belief that numerous refugees will resettle here. Sacramento County is home to one of the largest Afghan immigrant populations in the U.S. Many live in unincorporated areas of Arden-Arcade.

County Executive Ann Edwards says many new arrivals will be non-special visa holders with limited language skills, facing hardships due to cultural challenges. Those refugees may not receive the same federal assistance given to special visa holders.

Federal funding is available to assist special visa holders in transition. Special visa holders often speak English and are familiar with American lifestyles.

Five local nonprofi t agencies provide resettlement services, which include securing housing and benefi ts. Edwards estimates the number of newcomers “could be as large as 20,000.”

Supervisor Rich Desmond is concerned about the impact. He notes many refugees already here experience “subsistence living” due to the housing crisis and cost of living.

Supervisor Sue Frost says resettlement poses a challenge since there is “not enough housing for the homeless.”

Edwards believes Sacramento will receive federal funds based on recognition of how refugees impact

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By Howard Schmidt Inside The County

local communities. She has tried to assure the supervisors that the feds are “working really hard” on the funding issue.

The board authorized the $5 million contingency fund in case federal support falls short. The money won’t be tapped unless needed.

To help the community understand the situation, Desmond held a webinar discussion. Panelists included representatives from county departments assisting refugees, San Juan Unifi ed School District and Lao Family Development Center, a resettlement agency.

The goal is to get newcomers permanently settled and self-suffi cient within 90 days, says resettlement offi cial Kathy Chao Rothberg. That covers meeting them at the airport, fi nding an apartment, and providing orientation about being a tenant and living in Sacramento. Resettlement agencies assist in obtaining state identifi cation and vaccinations, and getting children enrolled in school. They also help with employment training for adults.

Shafi ullah Hotak, a refugee who came to Arden-Arcade in 2014 after working for the U.S. military, believes most newcomers can’t make it within such a short period. “It is important for them to have a family tie to help,” he says, noting he needed eight months.

The San Juan Unifi ed School District has seen an increase of immigrant enrollees jump from 4,500 in 2015 to around 6,000.

How can local residents help? Hotak says meeting refugees with a smile and a welcoming greeting is an excellent start.

Howard Schmidt has worked on the federal, state and local levels of government, including 16 years for Sacramento County. He can be reached at howardschmidt218@aol.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n