EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - The efforts made by The Danish Urban Committee 1993-98

The efforts made by The Danish Urban Committee 1993-98

Introduction

Evaluation of programme to combat problems on social housing estates.

Description

The report summarises the evaluation of the programme launched by the Danish Urban Committee to combat problems on social housing estates.

The committee drew up 30 different proposals for improving the situation of these estates. The proposals can be divided into:

Direct efforts to strengthen social conditions on estates;
Education of immigrants and refugees;
Changed legislation concerning immigration;
Actions against crime;
Changes of rules and institutions determining the distribution of dwellings among house hunters;
Lower rents and renovation of estates based on re-mortgaging of loans, on transfers from a common fund owned by all housing associations and on direct subsidies from the State;
Transfer of funds to municipalities with problem estates from other municipalities.

Background information

The Urban Committee of the Danish Government was established in 1993 and consisted of ministers from six different ministries. The committee was formed against a background of increasing social problems on a number of social housing estates in Denmark and trends that immigrants and refugees concentrate here.

Methodology

The evaluation is based on data on the 500 housing estates drawn from surveys and public registers it was possible, by help of statistical models, to analyse the connection between:

composition of tenants;
physical appearance of the estate;
rent level;· social activity level;
different kinds of social problems;
special problems in connection with many immigrants;
reputation of the estate;
moving frequency among different groups;
composition of in-movers;
local housing market conditions.

Conclusions

The main conclusion of the evaluation is that negative social, physical and economic development on the estates has been stopped, and that the efforts of the Urban Committee have prevented problems from escalating. But the social problems have not been solved.

One of the most important results of The Local Network Strategy is that in many municipalities a permanent co-operation has been established between local authorities and the tenant’s elected boards of the estates, where other local actors are often involved.

On some of the estates efforts have succeeded in involving and benefiting vulnerable and deprived tenants. However, a large part of the social activities has been directed against all tenants and these general activities seldom have involved the weak groups and also seldom immigrants. Only activities aimed especially at these groups have been to their benefit. Some of the most successful activities were directed at young people and have reduced problems with crime and vandalism.

The immediate results of the efforts made in connection with The Strategy of Improved Competitive Position have been very visible improvements of the physical appearance and the economy of the estates and lower rents in some of them. Moreover, visible social problems, which affect the image of the estates, have to some extent been reduced.For many of the estates the indirect results of this have been an improved reputation, which has had an effect on the mobility among tenants and the social composition of in-movers.

Contact info

Danish Building Research Institute
http://www.sbi.dk
Hans Skifter Andersen

Publication date

01/10/1999

Researcher

Danish Building Research Institute and The Danish National Institute of Social Research

Cities

30 locations in Denmark

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Urban renewal

Keywords

Housing estate redevelopment