SMRC supports Afghan families amid growing housing crisis in Dandenong

SMRC featured in national coverage on housing pressures facing Afghan refugees

An ABC News story published and aired on 9 April 2025 has brought national attention to the housing crisis affecting Afghan refugee families settling in Dandenong — and highlighted the vital supports provided by organisations like SMRC.

The story follows Farzana and her three daughters, who fled Afghanistan and spent months in a single motel room without access to a kitchen. Their experience is not unique. A growing number of families arriving on humanitarian visas are finding themselves without stable housing in Melbourne’s south-east.

SMRC Settlement Caseworker Sadiqa Mohammadi shared her insights as a frontline worker supporting newly arrived Afghan families, many of whom are at risk of homelessness.

“Local housing services [are] overwhelmed due to the large number of newly arrived who are looking for housing,” Sadiqa told ABC.
“They don’t have income, they don’t have rental history, they don’t have referees. So it’s hard.”

Housing stress is adding to existing trauma

With limited affordable rentals and growing demand, many refugees are living in motels, garages, or overcrowded homes. This housing instability is taking a toll on mental health and wellbeing, particularly for those who have already endured displacement and trauma. Sadiqa also spoke about the difficulty of supporting so many families in crisis, as local services stretch beyond their intended roles just to meet urgent housing-related needs.

Rebuilding from zero

For many families, resettlement in Australia means starting from scratch — despite having once lived stable, professional lives before being forced to flee.

“They have already gone through a lot back in their own country,” Sadiqa said.
“They were forced to leave… they had a house, they probably had a good job… most of them are educated.
But when they come here, they start from zero. It’s a lot.
They deserve to have a peaceful life.”

SMRC’s continued advocacy and support

SMRC remains committed to walking alongside refugee families during their settlement journey, providing critical support and advocating for better systems to ensure a fair start for all.

Read the full article on ABC News and watch the segment below.