Municipality wants to buy asylum apartment for one million Swiss francs

In Mettmenstetten ZH resists: the municipality wants to pay more than one million Swiss francs for an apartment for asylum seekers. The SVP Mettmenstetten and many others in the community don’t like it at all. You are outraged. 50 appeals have already been received, reports the “Anzeiger from the Affoltern district”.

The reason for the authority’s project: Like many other communities, the many are demanding asylum seekers Mettmenstetten away from here. Switzerland is experiencing the largest influx of refugees since World War II.

Due to a new allocation key, the municipality of Zurich must also take in more than a dozen additional refugees by the summer of 2023 – where there were 50 so far, there will soon be 63. To accommodate them, the 5.5-room apartment must now be purchased – for around one million Swiss francs. “With the purchase, we fulfill our obligation to provide refugees with sufficient living space,” says Oliver Bär, general manager of the municipality Mettmenstettento the local newspaper.

Containers are not an option

Although the municipality is currently able to accommodate the required number of asylum seekers, circumstances such as gender, age and family composition make it unreasonable to fully occupy accommodation for refugees. And: According to the municipal protocol, a buffer of at least five places is required. The purchase of the 130 square meter apartment should ensure that.

“The apartment is certainly of a higher standard than usual in housing for asylum seekers,” explains Oliver Bär. Still, buying a condo is much easier on community finances than switching to containers. According to Bär’s account could be the purchase, installation and dismantling of containers soon cost the community 600,000 francs. According to the authority, setting up living containers for protection seekers would also take too long.

With the purchase, the municipality fulfills its obligation to provide sufficient housing for refugees. In addition, you can easily sell an apartment after the asylum crisis, she argues.

People must have a say

The fact that the city council decided to grant the loan required for this – without voting on it at the city council – was not well received by many citizens. 50 appeals have been received by the Affoltern district council.

Including objection from the SVP Mettmenstetten. “We see the challenge the community has in providing housing for asylum seekers. But the people should be able to have a say in this deal, given its scope,” said Christoph Niederer, vice president of the SVP Mettmenstetten. The time urgency of such an investment is not given.

Instead of buying an apartment, it would also be conceivable to rent something or buy a smaller apartment, says Niederer. “Therefore, contrary to the judgment of the City Council, the proposed purchase of the condominium is not a tied matter.” (dzc)

Source:Blick