Designing a Home Share Program for Asylum Seeking Migrants in New York City

Abstract

Throughout 2022, 2023, and 2024 increasing numbers of asylum-seeking migrants have sought shelter in New York City through the city’s shelter system. To provide shelter to asylum seekers, New York City expended shelter capacity by expanding services at congregate shelters, contracting with hotels to provide emergency shelter, and by opening Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers. In late 2022, Enterprise Community Partners was contracted to evaluate the feasibility of operating a home share program for asylum-seeking migrants as an alternative to New York City’s shelter system. By early 2024 Enterprise completed the design of a home share program for asylumseeking migrants. In their analysis, Enterprise found that difficulties recruiting hosts was one of the biggest challenges to operating the home share program. Enterprise’s program design focuses on minimizing the level of engagement and effort required of hosts, to lower the bar to entry for participation in the program. This thesis explores Enterprise’s research process, and proposes a program structure oriented on making hosting a more substantive experience and to build on the strengths of a potential program operator. Similarly, during the earlier phases of Enterprise’s research, Enterprise considered focusing the program on specific neighborhoods in New York City, but Enterprise ultimately moved on from a neighborhood specific strategy. This thesis identifies which neighborhoods would be most suitable for a home share program, based on Enterprise’s initial criteria.