At Hundvåg in Stavanger, the final finishing touches are being made to the outdoor area of the new apartments that Stavanger municipality has set up to house Ukrainian refugees. A construction project that has been created at record speed, according to the municipality itself. In February, the municipality made an agreement with Fleksihus. Fast forward seven months, 40 apartments will have been delivered in September. The way Stavanger has solved the housing need for the refugees, and thereby contributed to the national need to solve the situation for Ukrainians fleeing the war, is causing a stir. Practical, cheap and efficient are keywords that have caused Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim and Drammen to request an inspection of the apartments before the refugees move in. – The big cities were very positive about what they saw. We got a lot of praise, says Jonas Meling, section manager for Boligbygg in Stavanger municipality. Like Lego – In the office we say this is like Lego for adults. It is quite incredible, says Meling. The micro-houses have come in modules from Lithuania and have been assembled into a pleasant farm yard with a patch of garden that has fruit trees. Photo: Hanne Høyland / news He is talking about the modules the apartments are built from. A fully furnished micro house built in Lithuania has arrived in Stavanger and is being assembled into a small farm yard. This will come in handy when Stavanger alone will receive 750 Ukrainian refugees in 2024. Every week, 300-500 people from Ukraine come to Norway, figures from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration show. This creates a need for quick solutions across the country. In 2023, Norway took in 46 percent of the Ukrainian refugees who came to the Nordic region. Stricter regulations have led to a decline. Considering the same concept Sandnes municipality is one of those who have been on inspection. news is also aware that several Rogaland municipalities will be on inspection. – We want to learn from other municipalities. It is both about building cheaply and well, with a short delivery time. We wanted to see how it is solved, says Stein-Are Walstad, development manager at Sandnes Eiendom in Sandnes municipality. He liked what he saw, but cannot yet confirm whether there will be similar solutions in Sandnes. – It is one of several solutions that we are looking at further, he says. The first refugees will be able to move into the brand new apartments on 1 October. The outdoor area may look a little sad, but Meling in Stavanger municipality emphasizes that there are several plans to make the outdoor environment more pleasant in the spring. – There is no point in introducing such measures just before winter, he says. The yard seen from the second floor. The entire residential area consists of apartments for singles or couples. The micro houses came with a furnished toilet. Some of the apartments come with a nice view. Jonas Meling and Beate Lea Håland in the living room of one of the apartments that will be used for Ukrainian refugees. The Ukrainian association in Rogaland receives signals from its members that the rental market is tough in Stavanger, so they are happy that the municipality is also prioritizing new buildings for the refugees – It looks good. I have been a student in Norway, and this reminds me of the student houses we lived in, says Taras Polishchuk, leader of the Ukrainian Association in Rogaland. Flexible solution The modules are approved as legal housing according to TEK 17. The big advantage, however, is that they can be easily moved and rebuilt when new needs arise in the municipality. Right now, the municipality has a two-year perspective for the use of the homes. They are to be used as temporary housing for Ukrainian refugees, but an extension can be applied for if necessary. The aim is that this should give the refugees a good start, until they find their own home, or until they can move back home to their own country. – Why can’t other refugees move in here? – We follow a piece of legislation that the government has adopted, and it specifies Ukrainian refugees, explains Meling. The government has adopted a temporary regulation on exemptions from the Planning and Building Act (external link) to deal with high arrivals of displaced people from Ukraine. But Stavanger municipality is aware that other municipalities have applied to take in other types of refugees if necessary, and that this has been approved. Assisting with housing that Ukrainians can rent is one of the ways the municipality contributes to helping those fleeing the war, according to Meling. At the same time, the municipality relieves the housing queue for students and others in Stavanger. Hope a network is created Polishchuk in the Ukrainian association hopes the municipality makes good arrangements for integration when so many Ukrainians will live together in one place. – It would be very nice if those who are going to live here get help to get in touch with the Norwegian environment in the area. An example could be meeting local neighbors and joining local social activities together, to create a network for them, he says. Published 24.09.2024, at 06.23
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Has made apartments for Ukrainian refugees in one fell swoop – the big cities look to Stavanger – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
