The former De Biester care location in Gieten will remain available as a refugee shelter for at least two years longer. The municipality of Aa en Hunze continues to rent the building and also has an option to purchase.
According to Mayor Anno Wietze Hiemstra, the municipality is taking responsibility for the issue of reception places for asylum seekers. “We thus have stable, longer-term shelter. We are thus responding to the government’s call to contribute to the need for shelter places. Important, since the need is again great.”
The function of De Biester reception location will change somewhat. It is currently still a crisis shelter, but it will become a regular, additional shelter. Hiemstra therefore believes an investment in the building is necessary. “We are going to work on cooking facilities so that people can cook for themselves and catering can be stopped. That is a great wish of the residents.” According to the mayor, little will change for the rest.
After consultation with the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), it was decided to keep the location under our own management and not to transfer it to the COA. This means that Aa en Hunze remains responsible for the management of De Biester, which has room for 70 beds. The costs of the building are borne by the COA.