Reception capacities for refugees are being expanded

Preparations and the expansion of reception capacities in Jena are in full swing. Now that all places in previous shared accommodation and the Stern school hostel have been used up, further properties will be made available in the coming days. First of all, a former retirement home in Jena-Zwätzen can be made available. Kommunalservice Jena has already carried out important installation work there. If all goes well, 68 people will be able to move into the property at the end of the week.

Kommunale Immobilien Jena is currently upgrading three gymnasiums to accommodate people. This is absolutely necessary to cope with larger numbers of people. No one can currently forecast the need for shelter space. The city hopes that it will not be necessary to move into the halls.

Another property that is currently being prepared for conversion is the former POM Arena. The containers that were previously installed on the site are also being put back into operation. Thanks to personnel support from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the former women's clinic is also being prepared for occupation. It will probably be possible to use this building in April / May.

Furthermore, the AG Wohnungswirtschaft has signaled its willingness to make around 100 residential units available in the coming months. Some repairs planned for the longer term will be brought forward or the scope of refurbishments will be simplified. This will make it possible to avoid emergency accommodation. The aim is still to provide people who have arrived in Jena with their own apartment as soon as possible.

Around 100 people from Ukraine are currently housed in communal accommodation. Around 700 refugees are currently living in private apartments. Without this commitment from individuals and families, the situation would be much more complicated.

Mayor Christian Gerlitz is grateful for the swift support from the city's community: "Kommunale Immobilien Jena, Kommunalservice and colleagues from the administration are working at full speed to provide additional accommodation for refugees as quickly as possible. The Free State of Jena and the university are also making every effort to provide university accommodation for refugees. In this way, we hope to quickly create good conditions for people who have come to our city from life-threatening circumstances. Thanks to private initiatives, the community foundation and help from associations, we were able to avoid unmanageable conditions in the first wave of refugees, although our clear goal remains to be able to place people in permanent housing as quickly as possible. The initial talks with the Jena housing industry give me hope in this regard."

The current aim of the city administration is to create further accommodation for around 700 people in the next 4 weeks.

Head of Department Eberhard Hertzsch points out the strain on the administration: "The staff, who have been weakened by the coronavirus pandemic and the coronavirus wave, are now faced with the task of providing humanitarian and safe care for a large number of people in Jena. We are grateful for any help here. The great solidarity among the population gives us a strong tailwind. On the part of the state, we would like to see more opportunities to support private commitment financially. This also means that the costs of accommodation for private apartments can be reimbursed. We also hope that the local authority will not be left with many of the costs again."