Opposition proposes cash for refugee hosts

Greens parliamentarian Dieter Janecek suggested that the state pay private individuals 20 euros ($21.75) a day for accommodating applicants for asylum in their homes. The move comes amid mounting hostility over the increasing number of migrants entering Germany and concerns about lack of adequate housing for them.

Janecek, the parliamentary economic spokesman for the Green party, told "The Huffington Post" that the government needed to consider providing a financial incentive for private individuals who take applicants for asylum into their homes.

"This would particularly relieve overburdened communities quickly and effectively," Janecek said. "I have in mind 20 euros a day - for a maximum of three months."

If applicants for asylum stay in private accommodation for longer, Janecek suggested that the state should then pay 100 euros per month to the landlord, as well as take on the "risks associated with renting a flat."

"I am absolutely sure that people are motivated to do good," he said.

'Civic engagement completely welcomed'

The proposal has been praised by other parties, with Ulla Jelpke, the Left party's parliamentary spokeswoman for the domestic affairs, calling the idea worthy of consideration.

"It deserves recognition if people show their solidarity with refugees and are ready to take them in," she told "The Huffington Post." "Civic engagement for refugees is to completely welcomed and should have government support."

She urged caution, however, saying there was "always a certain risk of abuse" when money is provided to individuals for taking on the state's responsibilities.

"There were recently cases that emerged in Berlin in which private providers were making a profit from the misery of those seeking protection, in which refugees were accommodated in totally overpriced rental accommodation or hostels," she said.

Konstantin Kuhle, head of the Young Liberals, the youth wing of the free-market liberal Free Democratic Party, also welcomed the proposal.

"I think it's a good thing to offer people financial incentives to take refugees into their homes," he said. "We must organize and pay for the accommodation anyway. And if private housing can thus be better used, I'm in favor of it."

Some of Germany's 16 states, however, have laws that prevent private individuals from providing housing to applicants for asylum.

Asylum applications to Germany to more than double in 2015

The Green politician's proposal follows a similar call from Martin Patzelt, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union who urged fellow citizens to follow his example by taking in asylum seekers.

Patzelt welcomed two refugees from Eritrea into his home in July, a move that has seen him receive death threats.

Hostility toward migrants has been rising in Germany, which receives the most asylum applications in Europe.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that 302,415 asylum applications have already been registered in Germany between January and July of this year, "Die Welt" newspaper reported.

Germany's Federal Office for Migrants and Refugees had initially expected 450,000 asylum seekers in 2015 but had to revise its forecast to an unprecedented 500,000 people. This is up from the 202,000 asylum requests Germany received in 2014.

mh/sms (dpa)