Reduced Numbers of Refugees Experienced by Local Communities - Decrease in refugee population noted by local authorities
In the heart of Germany, the state of Thuringia is navigating the challenges of accommodating refugees. With a total of 1,394 places in the Kyffhäuser district, 1,050 are currently occupied, while in Erfurt, the city with the largest number of accommodations, around 2,400 places are available, with three-quarters in communal accommodations.
In larger cities like Jena and Erfurt, the occupancy of accommodations remains high due to a tight housing market. Jena, for instance, reports an occupancy rate of 97 percent for its accommodations, but the number of arriving refugees has significantly decreased.
However, the situation is different in some municipalities where recent developments have led to a relaxation in the occupancy of refugee accommodations. In the Ilm district, there is a decrease in newly arriving refugees, but accommodation problems persist due to a tense housing market. The district of Sonneberg, on the other hand, has seen a decrease in refugee numbers and advocates further reducing them.
The communal accommodation in Gotha, which once housed people from Ukraine, is now empty due to residents securing their own living space or returning. In Gera, places in communal and individual accommodations are expected to be reduced due to a declining trend in incoming asylum seekers.
Some municipalities, such as those in the Kyffhäuser and Gotha districts, have closed communal accommodations and returned apartments to landlords. This reflects a general trend across Thuringian municipalities experiencing relief in refugee accommodation pressures, attributed to changes in migration policies and stricter border controls implemented at federal and state levels.
In the neighbouring district of Sonneberg, a communal accommodation for refugees has a capacity of 204 persons and is currently occupied by 160 refugees, corresponding to an occupancy rate of 78 percent. In Hildburghausen, while no accommodations are planned to be closed, there is a declining trend in occupancy. Here, communal accommodations are 70 percent occupied and decentralized accommodations are 90 percent occupied.
The Ilm district administration states that recent developments in the main countries and regions of origin make it seem unlikely that the influx will cease permanently. Despite this, some municipalities find it challenging to make long-term predictions about the trend of refugee numbers.
In conclusion, while some Thuringian districts and independent cities are experiencing a relaxation in the occupancy of refugee accommodations, others continue to grapple with accommodation challenges due to a tense housing market and unpredictable refugee numbers.
