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Ghent starts work on emergency housing for Ukrainian refugees
Ghent has started building emergency housing for Ukrainian refugees, with preparatory works underway.
Mayor of Ghent Mathias De Clercq pointed out that the city continues to show solidarity and noted that the project will allow it to provide long-term shelter to Ukrainian refugees.
“We think it is very important that we can receive people from Ukraine fleeing terrible war violence,” he concluded.
After preparatory work is completed, construction of 200 residential units is to start in January next year, with city authorities predicting that refugees will be able to move in in April.
The project will provide housing for roughly 600 refugees, with Ghent noting that approximately 1,200 are currently in the city, largely with relatives and friends.
City authorities reminded that Ghent decided to build the emergency housing in August and reiterated that the first Ukrainian refugees will move in in April next year if everything goes to plan.
Matthias Diependaele, Flemish Minister for Finance, Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage, noted that construction will take place in two phases.
“In the first phase, we will install 50 residential units owned by the Flemish Social Housing Association (VMSW),” he pointed out and added that the units will be used for social housing programmes after they are no longer needed to house refugees.
“During the second phase… we will expand the village with around 150 mobile residential units that can then be used for student housing,” Diependaele concluded.
