Copenhagen

Copenhagen homelessness policy

The municipality of Copenhagen has made an Action Plan to combat homelessness. In order to implement the Copenhagen Action Plan a new homeless agency is being set up.

The main objectives to reach before 2013:

• a high reduction in the number of homeless people who sleep in the streets
• no female sleepers in the sense of “housing for sex”
• a reduction of permanent homeless people (more than 2 years of homelessness)
• a reduction of the mental or physical pain among homeless
• a better help for homeless people who receive an apartment – to make sure they can keep it
• a reduction of homelessness amongst non-Danish nationals

Key words in the Copenhagen Action Plan

• local government takes control
• local government works under one direction
• personal approach: narrative theory
• cooperation with the NGOs
• better cooperation with hospitals, the psychiatric system, the police and local people in different areas
• special project to provide housing and services to people leaving penal institutions

Facts

• Country: Denmark
• Population: 530.902, urban area: 1.181.239
• Mayor: Frank Jensen (Social Democrats)
• Contact person: Steen Bo Pedersen
• Key words: hjemløs (homeless), hjemløshed (homelessness), velfærd (welfare), velfærdsstat (welfare state), sociale ydelser (social security), sociale spørgsmål (social issues)
• Website: www.kk.dk