Regular information on the concept for the accommodation and care of asylum seekers
On the basis of resolution B-046/2015 of 25 March 2015 on the concept for the accommodation and care of asylum seekers in Chemnitz, the administration presented the city council with the regular six-monthly information presentation on the implementation status of this concept for the first time at yesterday's meeting.
The first part of the presentation provides information on the current development of asylum applications throughout Germany, their impact on Saxony and their significance for accommodation in the city of Chemnitz.
Based on its current forecast from 7 May 2015, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees assumes 400,000 initial and 50,000 subsequent applicants nationwide for 2015. According to the state-specific distribution, Saxony will therefore have to take in around 23,000 asylum seekers this year.
As every asylum seeker entering the Free State of Saxony must undergo a health check by the public health department to protect the population from infectious diseases and the Chemnitz public health department carries out this initial examination for all asylum seekers to be accepted in Saxony, the submission provides information on the number of initial examinations to be carried out by the public health department, among other things. These have risen continuously from around 1,400 in the first quarter of 2014 and tripled in comparison in the first quarter of 2015 to around 4,200 examinations. As there is still only one examination route available at Adalbert-Stifter-Weg, the examinations have so far been covered by just one doctor, which has pushed both the asylum seekers and all those involved in their care to the limits of what is still acceptable from a welfare perspective.
Asylum seekers assigned to the Free State are initially obliged to spend up to six weeks, but no more than three months, in the initial reception centre under the responsibility of the Free State of Saxony. While around 2,000 people were still housed in the initial reception centre on 30 April 2015 (of which around 1,200 were in Chemnitz), the number had increased to around 3,000 people by 30 June 2015 (of which around 1,370 were in Chemnitz).
After their stay in the initial reception centre, the districts and independent cities are responsible for accommodating the asylum seekers. By 30 April 2015, the city of Chemnitz had taken in 325 asylum seekers this year; by 30 June 2015, it had taken in 498. Due to the fact that some asylum procedures take several years to complete, the number of asylum seekers living in Chemnitz is growing steadily as the number of admissions increases. While 970 asylum seekers were accommodated at the end of 2014, there were 1,167 people on 30 April 2015 and 1,277 on 30 June 2015.
Accommodation in Chemnitz is generally organised in a staged process. Newly allocated asylum seekers are generally housed in shared accommodation. There are currently 354 places available in the shared accommodation centres, which as at
30 April 2015 were occupied by 291 people and as at 30 June 2015 by 299 people.
After an initial period of integration in a shared accommodation centre, they can move to a flat rented by the City of Chemnitz. As at 30 April 2015, 633 people were accommodated in 252 flats in this so-called Decentralised Housing I and as at 30 June 2015, 735 people were accommodated in around 239 flats.
Under certain conditions, asylum seekers also have the option of living in flats with their own tenancy agreement, known as decentralised housing II. As at 30 April 2015, 243 people were living in 136 flats in Decentralised Housing II; as at 30 June 2015, there were 243 people in 162 flats.
In addition to the statistical figures on accommodation, the presentation provides information on the challenges currently facing the city of Chemnitz with regard to the accommodation and care of asylum seekers.
For example, it discusses the need to put two shared accommodation centres out to tender. The planned law to improve the accommodation, care and support of foreign children and young people and its impact on the city of Chemnitz is also outlined.
Another focus is on the support services for refugees in Chemnitz. In this regard, it is discussed, for example, that the adult education centre will be offering an additional German course for asylum seekers in July. Various new employment projects for asylum seekers will also be initiated in the second half of the year, e.g. as part of a bicycle workshop or a furniture workshop, and social care will also be increased in the second half of the year with ten full-time carers. There is positive news regarding the "Save me - a city says yes to refugees" campaign. Since the end of 2014, the number of sponsorships has increased from 30 to 50 as at 30 April 2015. On 30 June 2015, there were even 106 sponsorships. In addition to these projects, the presentation provides an overview of the counselling and information services offered by associations and initiatives for migrants in the city of Chemnitz.
The document goes on to provide information on the costs incurred by the City of Chemnitz in connection with the accommodation and care of asylum seekers and the corresponding reimbursements from the Free State. Finally, there is information on current organisational measures of the city administration as well as the residents' and residents' meetings held on the subject.
The next information presentation on the subject of accommodation and care of asylum seekers in the city of Chemnitz is planned for 31 December 2015.