Selecting Safe Housing Abroad

Distance from Workplace or Project Site:

• What is the proximity of your proposed housing to your workplace or project site?

Transportation Options:

• What modes of transportation are accessible for commuting between home and your work destination?

Estimated Commute Time:

• How long is the expected travel time for your daily commute?

Availability of Transportation:

• Will the transportation options you rely on be accessible and operational during the times you need to use them?

Safety and Reliability:

• Are the available transportation options safe and dependable for your daily commute?

Access to Healthy Foods:

• How close are options for obtaining healthy food, such as markets or grocery stores, to your proposed housing?

Convenience of Commuting to Food Sources:

• Will you be able to easily commute to places where you can purchase healthy foods?

Required Transportation for Food Access:

• What types of transportation will you need to use to reach these food sources?

Safety and Reliability of Transportation for Food Access:

• Is the transportation you will use to access these food sources safe and dependable?

Proximity to Community Centers:

• How close is your housing accommodation to nearby community centers?
• What is the approximate distance between your housing and these community centers?
• Will you need to utilize transportation to reach these community amenities, and if so, is it safe and reliable?

Neighborhood Environment:

• What features does your housing community offer in terms of community interaction, immersion, and entertainment (e.g., community centers, coffee shops, etc.)?
• Are there streetlights in the neighborhood?
• Is the area clean and free from open gutters, refuse disposal, and other health hazards?
• Is transportation easily accessible and safe?
• Is the neighborhood wheelchair accessible?

Neighborhood Characteristics:

• Is the area urban, rural, or residential?
• Is the area isolated or populated?
• Are there designated “no-go” areas within the neighborhood?
• How close are the nearest neighbors, and what type of residents are they (families, students, etc.)?

Safety and Security:

• What types of crimes have been reported in the area?
• What security measures are in place (guards, cameras, etc.)?

Proximity to Nearest Medical Facility:

• What is the approximate distance to the nearest medical facility?

Insurance Coverage (Geoblue):

• If you are using Geoblue health insurance, does the nearest medical facility accept it?

Transportation to Medical Facility:

• What types of transportation will you need to use to reach the nearest medical facility?

Safety and Reliability of Transportation:

• Is the transportation you’ll use to access the medical facility safe and reliable?

Building Safety:

• Is the building in good physical condition with the integrity of walls, balconies, and outlets intact?
• Are there any exposed electrical wires or visible fire hazards?

Fire Safety Measures:

• Is there access to fire safety resources such as clearly marked exits, alarms, sprinklers, and extinguishers?
• Are emergency fire evacuation plans visibly posted in rooms and/or hallways?
• Are there multiple ways to reach each room, including elevators and at least two staircases?

Security and Staffing:

• Is there on-site front desk staff, a live-in manager, or a host family available?
• Is there an English-speaking point of contact available 24/7?
• Is there a staff member on duty at all times who has completed first aid training?
• Is there an enforced curfew in place?
• Do visitors need to pass through a reception area?
• Are there security guards and/or cameras on the premises?
• Is the house and/or community gated?
• Are there exterior lights and/or motion-sensitive lights?

Accommodation Safety:

• Can the accommodation be locked from the inside?
• Is the bedroom not on the ground level?
• Can the bedroom be locked from the inside?
• Are windows barred, and can they be locked from the inside?
• Can sliding glass doors and balcony entrances be locked from the inside?
• Is there access to a safe with a customizable combination?
• Is there access to refuse disposal and/or recycling?

Facility Accessibility and Amenities:

• Are safe toilet and bathroom facilities accessible?
• Are bathroom facilities private and lockable?
• Are bathroom facilities wheelchair accessible?
• Is there access to potable drinking water?

Reflection:

• An accommodation may not fulfill each item on this list but can still be a safe option with the use of risk mitigation strategies. For example, if there is no fire extinguisher in the accommodation, a risk mitigation strategy would be to purchase one on-site. Compare your housing options to this checklist and make note of areas where safety may need to be improved. Create a list of risk mitigation strategies to address these issues.

Before beginning your search for housing accommodations, utilize this housing priority survey to evaluate your housing needs.

For a printable flyer – download: Housing Priority Checklist

Type of Housing:

• Do I have a preference for a particular type of housing (e.g., hostel, homestay, dorm, hotel)?
• Is my preferred housing available in my destination city?
• How important is having my preferred housing type to me?

Amenities:

• Does my host destination have the following amenities?
  • Electricity
  • Running water
  • Private bedroom
  • Indoor/outdoor bathroom
• Are these amenities available in my preferred housing in the destination city?
• How important is having my preferred amenities to me?

Access to Workplace or Project Site:

• Is walking distance important to me?
• Is access by taxi ride acceptable?
• Is access by bus acceptable?
• How important is this to me?

Access to Healthy Foods:

• Is access to a market important to me?
• Is access to a grocery store important to me?
• Are nearby restaurants important to me?

Access to Community Interaction/Immersion Activities:

• Is a community center important to me?
• Are coffee shops important to me?
• Are movie theaters important to me?

Safety of Accommodation:

• Is a locked bedroom important to me?
• Are locked windows important to me?
• Is security (guards, keys, gated) important to me?
• Are fire safety plans important to me?

Safety of Location:

• Is the cleanliness of the area important to me?
• Is the level of isolation or population density important to me?
• Are street lights important to me?
• Is security (guards, keys, gated) in the area important to me?

Housing Priorities Reflection:

• Based on my preferences and the available options in my host country, what housing priorities am I willing to compromise on?
• What strategies will I use to manage any discomfort resulting from the compromises?