Dozens of churches sign up to house asylum seekers amid housing shortage

Dozens of churches across the Netherlands have signed up to temporarily house asylum seekers. The country's churches issued a joint appeal on Tuesday, asking congregations to provide short-term accommodation for people who already have residence permits.

According to Actie Onderdak, 20 churches spread across the country are already preparing the accommodations. Another 40 churches have registered and are still considering participation.

More than 100 people who hold residence permits can already move out of asylum seeker centers and into the church-provided housing. The initiative specifically targets asylum seekers who have received a residence permit but remain in an asylum seeker center (AZC).

Under the rules, asylum seekers who receive a residence permit should be assigned housing in a municipality. Because of the housing shortage, that does not happen often, so they remain longer at such AZC facilities.

The churches aim to free up space in the asylum seeker centers. That should help ease the pressure on the overcrowded registration center in Ter Apel.

The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), which is involved in implementing the plan, will ensure that the status holders can actually be moved on to a new place after three months, according to the Council of Churches.