This Strong Cities Network Policy Paper examines the role of cities and other local actors in the integration of refugee and other forcibly displaced populations while maintaining –if not strengthening – social cohesion. The paper draws on a Refugee Response Webinar Series, hosted by Strong Cities in 2022, which brought together officials and non-government actors from a number of cities around the world to share their experiences, lessons and promising practices for sustainable and human rights-based solutions. Highlighting key themes and lessons learned from the series and different city-level approaches across the refugee response cycle, the paper includes ten policy recommendations which, if implemented, could alleviate some of the challenges cities face in maintaining social cohesion, while supporting refugees as members of their communities.