Beds in asylum centers often remain empty

15-08-2015 14:36
Some 750 thousand beds remain in asylum centers often slept in while shelter places in azc are becoming scarcer.
 
They are empty, because refugees with a residence permit would rather stay with family or friends, in a reception center. The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers, COA, will now use those beds for new asylum seekers.
 
The COA will by introducing a so-called self-care arrangement (zza). Refugees with a residence permit may then itself seek shelter outside a refugee center. They still have to report weekly, but abandon their place in exchange for a small fee.
 
Transferring
 
At this moment there are more than 28,000 asylum seekers in reception centers. About half of them have a (temporary) residence permit and would have to move to a house on short notice. But because there is not enough social housing available, which also halts progression and have people wait longer in a refugee center.
These places, we desperately need, because there are currently around 1700 asylum seekers weekly.
 
Jan Stalman, Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers
 
Figures from the COA shows that nearly 10 percent of refugees with a residence permit in the shelter are staying asleep but with family, friends or acquaintances. "Formally, the status holders have a right to a place; a bed and a closet in an asylum seekers' center. But some structural sleep with relatives or friends. That's a shame because now stand empty beds, "said spokesman Jan Stalman of the COA. "Those places we desperately need, because there are currently around 1700 weekly asylum seekers."
 
The idea is for refugees to have the right to retain all the amenities are there for them, but voluntarily leave a paper sign that they do not sleep in the asylum seekers' center. Therefore their bed can be given to another applicant.
 
Criticism
 
In the late 90's self-care arrangement is already used by then-Secretary Job Cohen. "In times of scarcity, it will search for unorthodox solutions by the parties in the asylum centers," said Stalman. "This is one of the measures." Next week there will be announced by Secretary Dijkhoff more measures.
 
There was also criticism of the system. Especially large congregations were not happy because they have no view had more to those who live within the municipal boundaries. Not everyone enrolled in a new address and some went from friend to friend. Critics called it self-care arrangement at that time also called the 'figure it out yourself' arrangement.
 
In an asylum seekers' center you can but difficult to integrate.
Spokesman Refugees
 
The Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) is concerned about the plans of the COA. "Municipalities lose track because it is not clear what status holder lives where. Furthermore, an undesirable consequence that in places in large cities there is a concentration of refugees will be living. It is not desirable if you lose the control of the spread, "said a spokesman for the VNG." But we are at the moment or in consultation with the COA on the opportunities and risks of the zza. "
 
Refugee Netherlands is positive about the plan. "We know this in the past. If it is voluntary and anyone who is entitled to a place can always return, we have no objection to this measure. Especially since we see that the inflow is now very high. There are many shelter places needed. For some people this is very good. In an asylum seekers' center you can but difficult to integrate, the sooner you will be living among the Dutch, the better it is, "said a spokesman.
 
(The emergency in azc's is in the summer months always the highest, because report more asylum seekers. COA expected in the coming weeks to open more emergency locations such as in the IJsselhallen in Zwolle and Zeelandhallen Goes. We may also be asylum seekers housed in holiday parks.
 
Striking is the large group of so-called post-travelers that are partners and children of asylum seekers with a residence permit. Until early this month caught the COA nearly 7,000 post-travelers in the refugee centers. That is more than double compared to the same period last year.)
 
https://nos.nl/ (Photo: Reuters)

 

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