Forced Migration in the OIC Member Countries:
Policy Framework Adopted by Host Countries
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Challenges to housing provision in practice
The most significant challenge facing the Swedish asylum system has simply been finding
enough housing for all new arrivals, as well as locating permanent places for those who are
granted refugee status. Even before asylum flows rose in 2015, a combination of low
construction rates and strict rent regulations have resulted in limited availability of housing
across Sweden, making it even more difficult to find places for new arrivals in municipalities.
The national housing agency (Boverkert) estimated that in 2016, 94 percent of municipalities
were facing a housing shortage for new arrivals,174 and housing prices in the last quarter of
2015 were 14 percent higher than in quarter four of the preceding year.175 In Stockholm, over
500,000 people were in the queue for public housing in April of 2015, and the wait was
estimated to be over five years long.176 Difficulties obtaining permanent housing also delay the
transition of recognized protection beneficiaries out of asylum reception facilities; as of April
2016, the Migration Agency estimated up to 10,000 refugees with residence permits were
waiting in the reception system for permanent housing.177
In an effort to make more housing places available, all municipalities are required to settle a
certain number of protection beneficiaries through the assisted housing system, beginning
March 1, 2016.178 This change represents a major departure from previous policy; under the
old system, municipalities were able to elect to participate in the settlement system, and many
municipalities chose not to, exacerbating the housing shortage.
The surge of arrivals in the fall of 2015 thus stretched an already overburdened system nearly
to the breaking point. The reception accommodation system was particularly affected by the
influx of new arrivals. While the Migration Agency's housing system is designed to be able to
scale up quickly in response to growing needs or downsize if demand falls; in order to
maintain this flexibility, the Agency obtains facilities through standing contracts with
landlords and housing providers and public procurement calls when new housing is needed
quickly. As a result, the Agency is dependent on local housing supply, which was already
oversubscribed. In one high-profile incident in November 2015, the Migration Agency ran out
of places for new arrivals, forcing many to sleep outdoors or find shelter with various
community or religious groups that stepped up to provide housing.179
Housing for unaccompanied minors was also affected. During the peak of the surge, limited
placement options in municipalities meant that children could be in emergency shelter for as
174 Boverket, “Housing market survey in 2016 in brief,” accessed June 7, 2016,
korthet/
175 Eurostat, “House Price Index – Quarterly and annual rates of change update,” updated April 12, 2016,
House_Price_Index_-
_Quarterly_and_annual_rates_of_change_update.png
176 Interview with Fredrik Jurdell, CEO, SHIS Bostaeder, April 11, 2016
177 Interview with Andre Nilen, Head of Staff, Region South, and Asa Evrensel, Protection Process Specialist, Operational
Department, Migrationsverket, April 14, 2016
178 The government put a new housing distribution scheme into place early in 2016 as a part of broader asylum reform
efforts. Swedish Parliament, “Regulation (2016: 39) on the reception of certain newly arrived immigrants for settlement,”
accessed May 24, 2016
179 The Local, “Sweden refugees sleep outside for second night,” updated November 21, 2015,