98% of accommodation spaces for Ukrainian refugees currently occupied

Every week, approximately 700 to 1,000 Ukrainians fleeing from the war continue to arrive in the Netherlands. The majority arrive in Utrecht or Amsterdam. With over 98 percent of current accommodations occupied, the search for new places persists due to the constant influx.

Jaap Donker, the director of the Utrecht Safety Region, who has been overseeing the accommodation of Ukrainians and the emergency sheltering of asylum seekers on behalf of all safety regions, stated that by January 1, 2024, 90,000 places should be available. However, it remains uncertain whether this number will be sufficient.

In February, the Netherlands had 75,000 places available for Ukrainian refugees, a figure that has since risen to 80,315. Approximately 98.4 percent of these spots are now occupied. “It's really getting crowded. We are actively searching for new accommodation spaces. The need is high.” Donker noted. There are currently over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees residing in the Netherlands country. About a fifth found housing through private individuals or institutions such as churches.

The accommodation of refugees is traditionally not the responsibility of safety regions, but at the request of the Cabinet, they are assisting until the end of this year in finding places for Ukrainian refugees. In collaboration with municipalities, efforts are being made to expand as much as possible to 90,000 accommodation places for people fleeing from Ukraine by January 1, 2024. "What complicates things is that some buildings are being reassigned and therefore can no longer be used as accommodation locations. Moreover, some private hosts have reached their limit: they have been hosting people for a long time and want to stop,” Donker added.

According to Donker, it is difficult to predict whether 90,000 places will be sufficient. This estimate is based on the current influx and that of recent months. Besides finding enough accommodation, the director anticipates an additional challenge soon. It is expected that a large number of Ukrainians will stay even after the war is over. "We see many people finding jobs and looking for permanent housing. Given the current housing market issues, this is a problem we also have to consider."