After Months on the Run, Afghan Family Finds Safety in New Home

Abdul, an evacuee from Afghanistan, describes his family’s experience fleeing Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul and resettling in California with the help of Apartment List’s Home Bridge program.

As the Taliban closed in on Kabul and Abdul and his family awaited safe passage from Afghanistan to the United States, they had to move frequently, never staying in one place for more than a day.

“They were supposed to kidnap my son,” said Abdul in a video released by Apartment List on November 30. “For two and a half months, I did not see my dad. I did not see my brothers, my sister, and everything.”

Despite many delays and complications, the family was able to flee Afghanistan this August, bringing with them only what they could fit into a backpack. They are now safely settled in California, resettled by HIAS partner Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay in housing provided by Apartment List’s Home Bridge program, in partnership with Veritas Investments.

“This is the best opportunity for me, especially this house. It’s a nice building, secure, everything,” said Abdul. “I feel this house is my second house.”

With tens of thousands of Afghans still awaiting resettlement on United States military bases, sourcing housing is one of the major barriers for organizations resettling newly arrived Afghans. Corporate programs like Apartment List’s Home Bridge program, which asks landlords to commit to offering one-year leases and amend their rental application processes to accommodate Afghan families, can contribute significantly to overcoming this barrier.