Councils in desperate need of refugee housing

Difficult to house single men and large families

Aug 22, 2014

The flood of refugees to Denmark has escalated to the point where the nation’s councils are desperately calling for more housing for them.

Eight out of ten councils are finding it difficult to find cheap and permanent housing for refugees that has been approved for residence, according to a report from the council advocacy organisation, KL.

“We simply need more cheap housing where we can place the refugees coming to Denmark,” Jacob Bundsgaard, the head of KL’s labour market and business committee, said in a press release.

“The increased refugee numbers is unsustainable because the councils’ responsibility to house them is becoming difficult to maintain.”

More refugees
Bundsgaard also explained that the refugees’ ability to integrate is also diminished when they are unable to feel at ease in their own place of residence.

The challenge isn’t abated by the fact that councils will receive 50 percent more refugees this year compared to 2013, thanks to crises in countries such as Syria.

The councils are finding it particularly difficult to house single men and large families.

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