1 Month - The first lease - December 13th

It was one month ago that I had bumped into the Rasoul's on a random street in Vienna. Back then, they were refugees who had no home and no hope. On this special day, they were about to make a major step in their lives, the start of a new beginning. Thanks to the help of Roberta Rastl from the Diakonie, I was able to find them shelter for a week and thanks to the help of Eva and Stephan, a lovely couple, who offered them a room in their apartment, I was able to house them for a month. It was a strenuous and stressful time for all of us. The real estate market was against us and the uncertainty of the future was eating us alive. 

Against all odds, we had an appointment with the owners of a studio apartment in the inner city and the Rasoul's were about to sign their first lease. It was my friend Agnes who works as a real estate agent for Schober Real who stood up for the family. The company waived the usual brokerage fee and the owner waved the security deposit. He also accepted the monthly guaranteed minimum income of Shamse when everyone else was asking for a certificate of employment.  

We met at 11 am in front of the building and met the owner at his apartment. Nora, one of my translators, was available over the phone just in case. 

Shamse's documents were copied and when she signed the lease, I made sure to stand by her side. It was big step. She received the keys and we all clapped. It was a beautiful moment of joy for all of us. 

Real estate agents and landlords need to wake up and adapt to the current situation. As Roberta once said to me: it is not a refugee crisis anymore, it is an emigration of nations. The refugees are here to stay and every adult as well as every child has the right to a home. It is a certificate of residency that enables the children to attend school. It is home that gives you a sense of safety. The results are integration and education. Both will provide a better, safer future for the refugees and for all of us.

From left to right: Agnes, me and Shamse 

 

 Shamse signing her first lease!

 

Agnes, Shamse and Abdelaziz