By Denisse Vega Zarate, Ed.M., Housing Coordinator
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This year, we want to shine a light on survivors whose path to safety is often harder: immigrant survivors, for whom finding a stable place to live can be one of the biggest barriers to leaving.
Our Housing Mission
At SCH, we believe everyone has the right to access safe, stable, and dignified housing. As such, we provide a range of services for community members experiencing housing insecurity, such as housing navigation, rent and utility assistance, and legal support with eviction responses and other landlord-tenant matters. The most recent Housing Needs Assessment (2025) conducted in our region reveals some of the most pressing housing challenges in North Tahoe-Truckee, which include renter households being overburdened by housing costs and long waiting times for affordable housing units. As the Housing Coordinator with SCH, I see these challenges daily, and I work with community partners to promote solutions to these challenges.
Immigration and Housing
SCH advocates are trauma-informed and committed to social justice. As such, we recognize that different intersecting identities, such as immigration status, affect the way in which people access services and navigate different systems, such as housing. In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, SCH served a total of 598 immigrant community members and provided 183 legal immigration services. Our immigrant community members encounter additional challenges in finding and retaining safe and stable housing.
As Victoria Lezo-Fuerte, Immigration Specialist with Sierra Community House, explains, immigrant community members may face hardships such as receiving unfair wages or experiencing the deportation of the primary provider in the household, putting them at risk of housing insecurity. Victoria also explains that a lot of young students without immigration status are forced to stay in unfavorable living situations or experience stress about paying rent instead of being able to focus on school.
Immigrant Survivors and Housing
As an organization that serves domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, we also understand how vulnerable immigrant survivors can be and the added stress that they can face in their healing journey.
Before leaving an abusive relationship, immigrant survivors of domestic violence might face manipulation from their abuser, with threats about disclosing their immigration status making it harder for them to leave. As SCH Victim Support Advocate, Erika Razo, explains, survivors are often afraid to call the police during a domestic violence incident for fear it will affect their immigration status. These experiences are not isolated; they are part of a national trend. A 2025 study by the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors found that 76% of immigration advocates have worked with survivors who are afraid of getting Immigration and Customs Enforcement involved if they report their abuser to the police.
After an immigrant survivor leaves an abusive relationship, they might have difficulty finding stable housing. It can be difficult to find a job because employers ask for documentation. Furthermore, even if they do find a job, many are only able to receive wages in cash, making it more difficult to provide proof of income to secure a place to live. As an advocate working directly with immigrant survivors, Erika has seen how difficult it is for immigrant survivors who were financially dependent on their abusers to gain independence and find safe housing after they leave.
The Importance of Advocacy
The work of advocates like Victoria and Erika is crucial to support our immigrant community members and immigrant survivors. As they both explain, immigrants often come with concerns about how their information is handled and distrust in the legal system. Taking extra steps, such as listening to these concerns and providing information and reassurance, can make the difference in accessing important services. In a small mountain community like ours, the relationships that advocates build with landlords and property managers are one of our most valuable advocacy tools. Connection, one of SCH’s core values, helps alleviate trust issues and misinformation. For instance, in my role as Housing Coordinator, I challenge stigma towards domestic violence survivors, collaborating with housing partners and community leaders towards housing justice.
Getting Help
Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. If you or someone you know needs support, SCH’s 24-hour crisis line is 800-736-1060, and our services are free and confidential. If you’re a landlord or property manager who wants to partner with us, contact: info@sierracommunityhouse.org.
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