Local authorities in Germany are urging citizens who have free space to accommodate asylum seekers amid a shortage in social housing.
The Kulmbach district office in Bavaria has reportedly requested anyone who can provide living space, ideally a spare apartment or house, to contact the responsible authorities and arrange for prospective refugees to take residence in the properties, according to a report by the local broadcaster Radio Plassenburg.
The Kulmbach district office reportedly told citizens that apartments that were furnished and ready to move into would be preferable, but insisted this is “not a must.”
Asylum seekers are currently being housed in a processing center in nearby Bamberg, as they await decisions on their asylum applications. Following the granting of asylum status, refugees will then be dispersed across multiple districts.
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Asylum applications soared across Germany in the first half of this year, increasing by a total of 44 percent between January and June compared to the same period last year, according to data published by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
A total of 84,583 applications were submitted by individuals originating from predominantly Islamic countries, including Syria (24,492), Afghanistan (15,093), and Iraq (7,512).
