The issue of housing for Ukrainian citizens seeking asylum in the Netherlands is becoming more acute: they are increasingly being denied accommodation. The authorities are currently considering the possibility of shifting part of the rental costs onto the Ukrainians themselves, particularly those who are employed.
This is reported by Finway
Critical Housing Situation for Ukrainians in the Netherlands
There are officially over 97,000 units of municipal housing registered in the country, but almost all of them are already occupied. According to Eurostat, as of June, there are over 125,000 Ukrainians in the Netherlands who fled due to Russian aggression.
The Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) emphasizes that the situation is becoming critical. The organization is urging the government to develop a long-term strategy to address the crisis and allocate additional funding for housing provision. It is estimated that about 300 new Ukrainian citizens arrive in the Netherlands each week.
“These are mostly women and children, but there are also men among them who know that there are jobs available here,” explains Rachel Strifland, an asylum advisor in Utrecht. She believes that housing for men should be paid for by the companies that employ them.
Recently, for the first time, Ukrainian refugees in Utrecht were denied housing. Due to a lack of funding, shelters in the city may begin to close. “We have no idea what to do next,” admits Strifland.
Possible Solutions and Legal Nuances
Local legislation prohibits municipalities from denying shelter to Ukrainians, but such cases still occur in practice. Some citizens who were denied by the municipality of Het Hogeland managed to win a lawsuit against the city, and an appeal by the local authorities is currently underway.
The Ministry of Asylum and Migration acknowledges the existence of the problem and reports that it is working on a solution. Among the possible options is gradually shifting the rental costs onto employed Ukrainian refugees, either fully or partially. Currently, these costs are covered by the municipalities.
Dordrecht municipality advisor Wim van der Kruijff notes that the situation has reached an impasse, and some Ukrainians may consider the possibility of moving to other countries, such as Germany or Poland.