Kurdish IDPs in Northeast Syria Face Housing Crisis

In areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (AANES), the wave of displacement following the military operations in November has added pressure to unresolved burdens from earlier waves of displacement. 

Fleeing clashes between the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), thousands of displaced Kurds from Afrin and the Shahba region arrived in cities in northeastern Syria that were already suffering from a housing shortage and a lack of international humanitarian support.

Despite efforts by the AANES to accommodate the newcomers, inadequate infrastructure, soaring rental prices, and social tensions over property rights have further complicated the crisis. Meanwhile, the displaced are struggling to find suitable shelter, as the possibility of returning to their original areas remains limited and fraught with political and security risks.

The AANES attempted to provide temporary housing, but limited resources and fragile infrastructure made it difficult to accommodate such a large number in a dignified manner. Initially, new arrivals were housed in sports stadiums and schools, but these facilities were unsuitable for long-term stays due to low temperatures and lack of heating. Many were forced to live in unfinished buildings or empty shops, worsening their conditions.

The housing crisis is not merely a logistical issue but highlights deeper imbalances in the AANES’ ability to manage repeated waves of displacement, in the absence of long-term resettlement plans or permanent housing solutions. Limited local resources and a lack of international support have exacerbated the situation, leaving displaced people reliant on unsustainable temporary solutions.

Despite efforts by local municipalities, the main challenge is not just providing housing but also ensuring a minimum level of basic services, such as water, electricity, and sanitation services that are already under severe strain due to years of continuous displacement. This raises the question of whether these areas can continue to accommodate new waves of displaced people without leading to the collapse of services or escalating social tensions between newcomers and the original inhabitants.

Social tensions and property rights

As the number of displaced Kurds arriving in northeast Syria increases, social tensions have risen, particularly concerning housing and property rights. With no sustainable housing solutions available, some displaced families have taken up residence in empty homes belonging to expatriates, absent property owners or people who have temporarily left the area, sparking anger among residents who have taken measures to protect their properties.

Some displaced people occupied vacant homes without consent, sparking clashes with locals. Despite the intervention of the Asayish, i.e., the local police force, suspicion remains high, with expatriate owners hiring guards to protect their properties.

The AANES insists that it respects property rights under Syrian law, but there are accusations that members of the PYD have encouraged some displaced people to remain in vacant houses in an attempt to establish new facts on the ground. While these tensions have not escalated into violent confrontations, they have complicated the social landscape in host areas, with newcomers facing cautious attitudes from local residents, despite widespread sympathy for their difficult circumstances.

This situation raises concerns about the AANES’ ability to manage these disputes and prevent them from turning into a larger social crisis, particularly in the absence of a clear legal framework to resolve these issues and a lack of plans to relocate displaced people to suitable housing away from privately owned properties.

Increase in rental prices

The recent waves of displacement have placed unprecedented pressure on the real estate market in northeast Syria, where rising demand for housing has led to a sharp increase in rental prices. In some cases, three or more families have been forced to share a single apartment, while some landlords have refused to rent out their properties, fearing damage or the difficulty of evicting tenants later.

As the crisis deepened, the AANES issued Circular No. 12 on December 21, 2024, imposing a rent cap that set the maximum rent for a single room at USD 10 per month in working-class areas. However, enforcement of this measure has been weak. In the absence of effective regulatory mechanisms, landlords often raise prices unofficially or refuse to rent to those unable to pay upfront. Many displaced people, despite knowing the high rents are unlawful, are forced to accept them to avoid homelessness, given the limited housing options available.

This crisis has exposed the AANES’ inability to regulate the housing market and highlighted the urgent need for more effective policies to protect displaced people from exploitation. Meanwhile, some displaced individuals have turned to local intermediaries to persuade landlords to rent to them.

The AANES faces escalating challenges due to the recent waves of displacement, the growing housing crisis, lack of international support, and increasing social tensions. Despite efforts to accommodate the displaced and offer temporary solutions, these areas suffer from resource shortages and inadequate infrastructure. Moreover, the absence of effective housing policies and market regulation exacerbates the suffering of the displaced, while property rights disputes fuel tensions with local residents. In this complex context, there is an urgent need for sustainable long-term solutions and a more effective international intervention that addresses both the humanitarian and political dimensions of the crisis.