"The district would also like to use a few of its own properties for refugee accommodation in the future. Otherwise, we are dependent on the respective owners when it comes to extending rental or lease agreements. This makes long-term planning difficult," says Jürgen Vogt, First State Official of the Ludwigsburg district. The number of new arrivals has fallen in recent months, but is still at a significantly higher level than in the years before the start of the war in Ukraine, Vogt continues. The acquisition of the office building at Brennereistraße 1 in Hemmingen will help the district to respond flexibly and proactively to this challenge.
Most of the office building is currently still rented out, which is why the building will only be used by the district in the medium term. The building will only finally become the property of the district once it has been fully converted. The conversion costs, including the connection to the local heating supply, amount to a total of 700,000 euros.
The municipality of Hemmingen expressly supported the purchase of the property by the district and acquired the immediately adjacent area, which is currently still used as a parking lot, for social housing. The use of the two properties by the municipality and the district can create additional synergies. "Housing refugees is a mandatory task for the municipality," says Mayor Thomas Schäfer. "This property offers us the opportunity to fulfill this responsibility and provide appropriate accommodation for people who come to us. Hemmingen is thus making an important contribution to this challenge for society as a whole."
Open day: information and dialog with residents and citizens
Before the building is occupied, the district is planning an open day to inform residents and citizens about the project. On this day, interested parties will have the opportunity to view the premises, gain an insight into the conversion work and find out about the concept of the accommodation and the support services planned for refugees. The district would like to create transparency, answer questions and promote dialog with the neighbourhood to ensure harmonious coexistence.
