Berlin – The red-red-green coalition in Berlin falls far short of its own standards when it comes to building modular accommodation for refugees (MUF). Not even half of the planned modular accommodation for refugees is yet ready. That said, Social Senator Elke Breitenbach (left) on Tuesday after the Senate meeting.
In 2018, the state government decided to build 53 of these buildings from prefabricated concrete modules with around 19,700 seats. So far, however, only 23 have been completed with a good 8,200 places, as Breitenbach announced. Another seven are under construction, 18 in planning. It is not yet possible to foresee when the last of these will be available. The reason: There is a lack of suitable space.
In addition, many people are housed in the approximately 80 accommodations of the State Office for Refugee Affairs (LAF), which should no longer live there. According to Breitenbach, around 19,000 people currently live in the LAF accommodations. Half of these belong to the so-called status-changed, i.e. people whose asylum application has already been recognized or who have been granted a toleration after being rejected. “These people are considered homeless and are therefore the responsibility of the districts that have to accommodate them,” said Breitenbach. However, it is extremely difficult for the districts to find apartments for them.
The housing shortage in Berlin exacerbates the situation
This also applies, for example, to refugees who have arrived in Berlin as minors traveling alone. As soon as they are of legal age, they have to leave the inpatient youth welfare facilities in which they have received socio-educational support. If no apartment is found for them, they often move to a state-owned communal accommodation facility. Accommodation there with adults could be a burden, according to a statement from the LAF. In the worst case scenario, students drop out of school or training.
In order to offer support during this transition, the LAF has developed a new accommodation concept in two accommodations with 16 places each in Pankow and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. The young adults can take advantage of individual outpatient assistance in a separate area with a maximum of two people per room and thus “are supported on their last step towards independence”, as it goes on to say.
The pilot project is only supposed to be the beginning. LAF President Alexander Straßmeir speaks of a “great concern of creating increased care offers for the young refugees in our accommodation in cooperation with the youth welfare offices”. These young people needed further support – “especially when there are no parents on site”. If the project in Pankow and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg proves itself, says Straßmeir, “I would like to expand it to all districts”.
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