3.13.4.4. Housing

A limited or lack of social housing alternatives and a shortage of low-cost housing in local markets created impediments for beneficiaries of international protection to find accommodation. 

In the Netherlands, COA moved a ship to Rotterdam to convert it to a transfer location for a maximum of 1,500 beneficiaries of international protection.937 A dispersal mechanism for beneficiaries of international protection was implemented, with several challenges related to delays in obtaining the citizen service number (BSN number) and documents from the IND. A mismatch between the offer of accommodation in municipalities and the beneficiary’s needs contributed to significant challenges in reception (see Section 3.6).938 Initiatives from previous years to facilitate finding accommodation for beneficiaries of international protection continued, such as the Hotel and Accommodation Regulation.939

The German Association of Cities and Municipalities was alarmed by the growing challenge of integrating an increased number of beneficiaries of international protection. The organisation highlighted that municipal services for reception (see Section 3.6) and integration were already overstretched, and for example, argued for changes to the financing of local integration activities.940  

France launched two calls for projects from civil society organisations to offer innovative and experimental solutions for cohabitation and support for beneficiaries of international protection.941  

Following previous initiatives implemented by different regions, the Belgian Interfederal Center for Equal Opportunities introduced new initiatives to detect and penalise discrimination within the housing sector, including those affecting beneficiaries of international protection. The initiatives will focus on comprehensive training for real estate agents and the introduction of mystery checks as of 2024.942   

Among local initiatives, the city of Zagreb introduced amendments to its rules on social housing units and included refugees as potential beneficiaries, if they meet the conditions applied to other citizens of Croatia who are residents of Zagreb.943  

Civil society organisations in Spain raised concerns about challenges in accessing accommodation by applicants and beneficiaries of international protection, mainly based on the lack of a housing policy which takes into consideration the specific circumstances of refugees, the impossibility of receiving tax deductions for renting a habitual residence to entities that will receive beneficiaries of international protection and the administrative barriers to register in the town census.944 In this sense, CEAR highlighted that, despite the adoption of Law No 12/2023 on the Right of Housing in May 2023,945 discriminatory behaviours continued in the housing market causing difficulties to find accommodation and contributing to the number of homeless among beneficiaries of international protection.946