ABSTRACT
This chapter reveals how important housing is as one of the most basic needs that all persons claiming asylum must be provided with or satisfy individually. Housing quality has a crucial influence on the pace of the foreigners’ integration into the new socio-cultural conditions of the host country, as well as on the psychophysical condition of the individuals and entire families who are escaping war or various types of persecution in their home countries. This part of the book sheds light on the housing conditions of persons seeking asylum in Poland, as well as on those who have been granted international protection. It analyses statistical information about the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers in the existing centres for foreigners in Poland as well as outside them and evaluates key problems linked with the provision of housing and allowances. Foreigners granted international protection must leave these “refugee centres” within two months from the moment of receiving the decision. While analysing the experiences of persons with international protection with access to housing, we also evaluate their transition from being provided with some form of shelter or very modest housing allowances during the application procedure to the situation when they might be deprived of such assistance.
