Ahead of the housing negotiations that will commence on Wednesday, the government has proposed earmarking billions of kroner to making residents living in vulnerable areas feel more secure.

The housing minister, Carsten Hansen, revealed that he wants to spend 16 billion kroner between 2017 and 2020 on regenerating vulnerable areas. The work would include merging smaller apartments into larger ones to attract better off people to the areas, as well as demolishing buildings.

“Our impression is there are lots of good initiatives going on in the vulnerable areas,” Hansen told Politiken newspaper.

“But there are still small, tough groups of youngsters who harass everyone else, so safety is one of the principal issues for us.”

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Building on success
Additionally, between 2015 and 2018 the government wants to spend 1.9 billion kroner on social efforts.

Palle Adamsen, the head of the housing advocate association Boligselskabernes Landsforening, commended the proposal, pointing to the successes of similar recent initiatives.

“Five or six years ago, there were always fires and trouble in the same neighbourhoods during the autumn holidays because the youngsters were at home and had the time,” Adamsen told Politiken. “We don't see that now.”