“Lost in transition”? Integration of refugees into the local housing market in Germany

The integration of a high number of refugees in Germany is intensely discussed in political and civil society. The aim of this article is to explore refugees’ paths into the housing market and the impact on refugees’ integration into urban society. For a comprehensive insight into the housing situation of the refugees, we have chosen the city of Cologne because it is one of the four largest German cities. To highlight different perspectives, we conducted guided interviews with representatives of local governmental and nongovernmental institutions that are engaged with the housing situation of refugees. Additionally, we interviewed 21 refugees mainly from Syria, Iraq, and Iran. The statements of both groups show a difficult transition from refugee accommodation into the housing market. In the highly competitive situation, refugees rarely manage to access this market through common paths. Social networks proved to be most important to finding an apartment.