LINCOLN - An Afghan refugee who is living a version of the American dream urged Nebraska state lawmakers Tuesday, February 15, to help others fleeing violence and wars to find a “landing place” in the United States.

Shafiq Jahish, a former interpreter for the U.S. military, said that when refugees arrive, they often can’t find immediate housing, in part because they don’t have any money, a job, or a rental history needed to lease an apartment.

One cannot obtain a driver's license or enroll kids in school with a permanent address, Jahish said.

Jahish was testifying in favor of a bill that would designate $10 million of the state's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to discounted housing for low-income individuals, including refugees.

Jahish has been able to overcome the obstacles that he laid out and has worked his way from a truck driver up to a supervisor before earning a college degree, and now works as an IT professional for an Omaha bank. The 34-year-old now has his own home to raise his family of seven.

The committee is currently considering a multitude of ideas on how to spend the state's $1.04 billion in ARPA funds. Tuesday they solicited testimony regarding a few proposals to use some of the funds to provide low-income and "workforce" housing in the state.

The lack of decent housing has been identified as a major impediment in filling the state’s estimated 60,000 unfilled jobs, the committee was told.

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