Overview
- A joint early-morning inspection at a Neukölln homeless shelter on July 1 found 34 of 61 people officially registered at the site actually present.
- Inspectors reported that a contracted security service being billed was not on site and that large-scale renovations left the building unable to house all registered residents.
- Operators and some occupants told inspectors absent residents were ‘‘on holiday’’ or that visitors were using rooms where registered people were not found.
- Neukölln social councillor Hannes Rehfeldt said authorities will check whether the accommodation meets legal rules and take measures if needed, while Berlin Jobcenters have announced they will widen inspections.
- The case follows other probes in Berlin, including a Charlottenburg pension under prosecutor review for suspected fraud of more than one million euros, and raises concern that public payments meant for homeless people may be diverted by some private operators.