Refugee Shelters Still Operating at Capacity Limit
Hamburg's refugee accommodations are strained, even with a drop in arrivals and an increase in capacity. Currently, about 47,000 asylum and refugee seekers reside in public facilities, with an occupancy rate of over 97%. According to Wolfgang Arnhold, press spokesperson for the Social Services Department, some 13,700 asylum and refugee seekers—5,400 from Ukraine—have arrived this year alone. For comparison, that's down from approximately 29,000 people before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Places vanish due to temporal leasing
In Hamburg, around 8,400 new arrivals required accommodation this year. The problem is that more refugees with housing needs keep arriving in Hamburg than can be provided with housing. There are currently 231 shelters available. However, several shelters, such as the former Postbank headquarters at Uberseering, which can still be used until September 2026 under existing agreements, and shelters on Eifelstraße and the former Fegro wholesale market in Harburg, which are slated to close a half year early, are forced to shut down due to temporary leases or scheduled ancillary uses such as housing construction.
New refugee shelters in the pipeline
By February 2024, 600 spots will disappear. New shelters for refugees are being planned, such as the one in Bahrenfeld with 650 spaces. Other locations in various city districts will reportedly create additional capacity, according to the Social Services Department. Their aim is to expedite the transition of people to private housing, though the strained housing market makes this challenging. So far this year, 5,000 people have moved from public shelters to private residences.
lun/dpa
Luna Baumann Dominguez
Born in 1996, Luna Baumann Dominguez is fond of the German Bantam Chicken. This affection has earned her several victories in her favorite card game "Hens." She was born in Mönchengladbach but has moved 13 times. At the WDR in Cologne, she completed a work placement in the economic section. Her Bachelor in Communication Studies began primarily so she could work at the University Radio in Munster. There, she founded the feminist program "Equals," and interviewed reggae artists. At a Dub-Inc concert in Paris, the drummer even held off the French television crew for Luna. Residents of the Ruhr area—straightforward, friendly, always to the point—are already missed. Nickname: lun
- Luna Baumann Dominguezhttps://ourwebpage/author/luna-baumann-dominguez/The Friedhof Ohlsdorf - Burial Ground or Park?
- Luna Baumann Dominguezhttps://ourwebpage/author/luna-baumann-dominguez/Gleich nördlich für alle: Flinta at the Decks
- Luna Baumann Dominguezhttps://ourwebpage/author/luna-baumann-dominguez/The Canaries Fly Away
- Luna Baumann Dominguezhttps://ourwebpage/author/luna-baumann-dominguez/A Day at the Elite School of Sport
Background:
Refugee accommodations in Hamburg face strain due to historical and ongoing demand, integration challenges, economic obstacles, administrative bottlenecks, and policy decisions. These issues, combined with local and national strategies for managing refugee housing, contribute to the ongoing pressure on accommodations.
To address the issue, the city could prioritize enhanced integration programs, streamlined administrative processes, public-private partnerships, and policy adjustments. Improved social and economic integration, simplified administrative procedures, cooperative projects with private housing providers, and adjusted local and national policies might help alleviate the strain on accommodations more effectively.
- The closure of several temporary shelters, such as the former Postbank headquarters and shelters on Eifelstraße, is causing a shortage of accommodation for refugees in Hamburg, vastly exceeding the available 231 shelters.
- Amidst this challenge, plans are in progress to establish new refugee shelters, including a facility in Bahrenfeld with 650 spaces, as a response to the ongoing demand for housing and the upcoming loss of 600 spaces by February 2024.
