The social consequences of the denied access to housing for refugees in urban settings: the case of Turin, Italy

The paper focuses on the access to housing of refugees, considering it an essential step on the integration path and a precondition for the full enjoyment of social and civil rights as well as social services. In Western countries, refugees mostly live in urban settings and local authorities' actions and decisions play a relevant role in shaping opportunities and obstacles for social inclusion. Lack of, or deficiencies in housing policies can result in challenging situations, jeopardising this path. The paper investigates the obstacles local authorities create through both informal practices and administrative provisions. The analysis highlights a gap between the national legal framework and its local implementation that creates major disruptions in the integration path. The paper takes the city of Turin (Italy) as a case study. A multi-method study was carried out to investigate these issues in the period between November 2007 and July 2013. In the case of Turin, within a scenario characterised by a huge absence of systematic policies supporting refugees' access to housing, many refugees have opted for squatting. While underlining refugees' agency, these experiences appear unable to properly tackle their housing needs and to achieve the objectives of social recognition and public solidarity.