Master of Science in Spatial Planning June 2020
Housing Supply for the Group Outside the Ordinary Housing Market
An analysis of the regional and the municipal planning in Sweden
Harry Brar
Faculty of Engineering, Blekinge Institute of Technology, 371 79 Karlskrona, Sweden
This thesis is submitted to the Faculty of Engineering at Blekinge Institute of Technology in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Main field of study is Spatial
Planning. The thesis is equivalent to 10 weeks of full time studies.
The authors declare that they are the sole authors of this thesis and that they have not used any sources other than those listed in the bibliography and identified as references. They further declare that they have not submitted this thesis at any other institution to obtain a degree.
Contact Information: Author: Harry Brar
University advisor: Jimmie Andersén Department of Spatial Planning
Faculty of Engineering Internet : www.bth.se Blekinge Institute of Technology Phone : +46 455 38 50 00 SE-371 79 Karlskrona, Sweden Fax : +46 455 38 50 57 ii
Faculty of Engineering, Blekinge Institute of Technology, 371 79 Karlskrona, Sweden
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Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS ...... 6
1 INTRODUCTION ...... 8
1.1 THE HOUSING SUPPLY ...... 8 1.2 THE GROUP OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE HOUSING MARKET...... 9 2 AIM OF RESEARCH ...... 10
2.1 RESEARCH PROBLEM ...... 10 2.2 RESEARCH QUESTION ...... 10 2.3 DELIMITATIONS ...... 10 2.4 DISPOSITION ...... 11 3 METHOD ...... 12 3.1 RESEARCH STRATEGY ...... 12 3.2 DOCUMENTARY RESEARCH ...... 12 3.3 GROUNDED THEORY ...... 14 3.4 SELECTION...... 14 3.5 CASE STUDY ...... 15 4 RESEARCH OVERVIEW ...... 16
4.1 THE HOUSING QUESTION ...... 16 4.2 THE RIGHT TO HOUSING...... 16 4.3 DIFFICULTIES WITH LOCAL HOUSING SUPPLY AT A PUBLIC LEVEL ...... 17 4.4 CRITICISM ON THE INVESTIGATION ...... 18 5 HOUSING ...... 20
5.1 THE HOUSING MARKET ...... 20 5.2 THE SITUATION FOR THE GROUP OUTSIDE THE HOUSING MARKET ...... 20 5.3 GOVERNANCE ...... 22 5.4 RESPONSIBILITY FOR HOUSING SUPPLY ...... 23 5.5 HOUSING SUPPLY ACCORDING TO THE LAW ...... 23 5.6 REGIONAL ANALYSES OF THE HOUSING MARKET ...... 24 5.7 BOVERKET´S HOUSING MARKET SURVEY ...... 24 5.8 GUIDELINES FOR HOUSING SUPPLY ...... 24 5.9 MUNICIPALITIES' TOOLS FOR HOUSING SUPPLY ...... 25 5.9.1 Municipal planning monopoly ...... 26 5.9.2 Comprehensive plans and detailed plans ...... 26 5.9.3 Land policy...... 26 5.9.4 Public housing companies ...... 26 5.9.5 Housing office ...... 27 5.9.6 Municipal guarantees for rents ...... 27 6 EMPIRICAL DATA ...... 28
6.1 REGIONAL PLANNING IN STOCKHOLM ...... 28 6.1.1 RUFS 2050 ...... 28 6.1.2 Visions and goals ...... 29 6.2 INVESTIGATION OF THE MUNICIPAL HOUSING SUPPLY ...... 31 6.2.1 Stockholm municipality ...... 31
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6.2.2 Sundbyberg municipality ...... 34 6.2.3 Österåker municipality ...... 37 7 ANALYSIS ...... 41
7.1 THE REGIONAL PLAN ...... 41 7.2 THE MUNICIPALITIES' GUIDELINES ...... 41 7.2.1 Stockholm ...... 41 7.2.2 Sundbyberg...... 42 7.2.3 Österåker ...... 42 8 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ...... 43
9 CONCLUSIONS ...... 45
10 SOURCES...... 46
List of figures
Figure 1. Safe and affordable housing ...... 8 Figure 2. The situation on the housing market 1983 - 2019 ...... 20 Figure 3. Adopted guidelines ...... 25 Figure 4. The Stockholm region ...... 28 Figure 5. Population and housing stock in the Stockholm region ...... 29
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ABBREVIATIONS
In the thesis the name Boverket is used, which is also the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning in Sweden. Furthermore, the name region has been chosen to be used as county council has been replaced.
AKBL - the Municipal Housing Companies Act / Lag om allmännyttiga kommunala bostadsaktiebolag (Allbolagen)
BFL - the Housing Supply Act / Lag om kommunernas bostadsförsörjningsansvar (Bostadsförsörjningslagen)
BMA - Regional housing market analysis / Regionala bostadsmarknadsanalyser
BME - The Housing Market Survey / Bostadsmarknadsenkäten
BTH - Blekinge Institute of Technology / Blekinge Tekniska Högskola
HGF - The tenant association / Hyresgästföreningen
IBF - Institute for Housing and Urban Research / Institutet för bostads- och urbanforskning
LOV - Act on System of Choice in the Public Sector / Lagen om valfrihetssystem
LSS - the Swedish Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional / Lag om stöd och service till vissa funktionshindrade
PBL - the Planning and Building Act / Plan och bygglagen
RUFS - The regional development plan for the Stockholm region / Regional utvecklingsplan för Stockholm
SCB - Statistics Sweden / Statistiska centralbyrån
SHIS - The foundation for social housing in Stockholm / Stiftelsen Hotellhem i Stockholm
SLL - Region Stockholm Assembly / Region Stockholm (Former Stockholms läns landsting)
SOL - the Social Services Act / Socialtjänstlagen
SKR - Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions / Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner (Former SKL)
Key words: housing supply, housing shortage, guidelines for housing supply,
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1 INTRODUCTION
The following chapter is a brief description of the housing supply and the group that the thesis contains.
1.1 The housing supply
In Sweden, the municipalities have a great responsibility for housing supply, which makes the planning system unique. Responsibility has been allocated from the state, which distributes support, grants, knowledge and documentation for the planning regarding housing supply. The planning for housing supply is based primarily on the County Administrative Board's analyses of the housing market that are produced each year. It is based on statistics from SCB, Statistics Sweden, the municipalities' comprehensive plans and municipality's guidelines for housing supply. The analysis also includes regional goals and national housing policy goals. The guidelines that the municipalities set up according to the BFL, the Housing Supply Act shall be adopted by the chair of the council each term of mandate. The Housing Supply and the PBL, Planning and Building Act govern the municipalities' housing supply. In a report by Government commissions of inquiry that was made, in a proposal for a new law on housing supply is proposed. There, the municipalities must indicate how housing can be arranged for the group who are outside the housing market. The law has not been conducted (Länsstyrelsen Stockholm 2019, p. 61).
Individuals may find it difficult to access the housing market if housing supply is not met. This, in turn, can lead to deficits in the social community, reduced security and low confidence to the Swedish model (Ibid, p. 5)
The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda has goals with a link to housing. Among other things, it is stated in the target 11-1 that sustainable planning with safe and affordable housing must be ensured by 2030 (UNDP 2020).
Figure 1. Safe and affordable housing Target 11-1 (The global goals n.d).
The aim from the Government is to "give all people in all parts of the country a good social environment from which a long-term good management with natural resources and energy is promoted and where housing construction and economic development are facilitated". Furthermore, the target is also stated as a “long-term well-functioning housing market where consumer demand meets a range of housing that meets the needs” (Regeringskansliet 2020).
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An example of an area that includes major challenges in housing supply is Stockholm. New housing does not meet the demand as many new residents move into the region. This makes it especially difficult for the group with limited finances. The need for housing must be met within a long-term perspective (Region Stockholm n.d.b). 1.2 The group of people outside the housing market
The group that the thesis refers to intend individuals who stand outside the ordinary housing market and who can be considered to belong to the secondary housing applicants. The group of individuals who find it either difficult to get into or stay in the housing market for various reasons. This is primarily due to limitations in the private economy and/or because of social aspects (CRUSH 2016, p. 13; Granath Hansson, Anna 2020).
Situations can occur in different parts of life when there is not always an inherent wealth in the form of available assets of a capital. There are people who can be denied from getting a loan for a home even if there is a steady income. Even if the people hold capital, it can be difficult to get a loan. This may be because the income is too low in relation to the prices. Debts or payment remarks can prevent people from accessing their own contract. Additionally, an unexpected separation or a divorce can be a reason (Stockholms läns landsting, SLL, p. 28).
Social aspects that may affect entering the housing market may be the lack of an available social network. Problems with abuse or mental illness can also be reasons. It can be difficult to get an apartment through the regular queuing system for a rental flat, especially through the general housing rental market. Although the individual has been queuing for many years, it cannot be enough for a home because of the applicant's income. The individuals may consist of different backgrounds regardless of which another group they are considered to belong to (Boverket 2019e).
The main study is directed at a group that is included in spatial planning and PBL. Therefore, the group of homeless people are not included who are covered by SOL, the Social Services Act. Instead, the system of housing supply needs to be investigated to understand how it works for those who usually can get a home on the ordinary housing market but who still do not get it.
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2 AIM OF RESEARCH
The aim of this essay is to investigate how planning is made for a group of housing applicants who are outside the ordinary housing market in Sweden. The planning is studied within the subject of "housing supply" and at various levels of government within spatial planning.
2.1 Research problem
Housing shortage is a generally prevailing problem in Sweden and can lead to serious consequences for individuals and for the society. In many cases, the situation is acute. The housing policy has changed over time and is complex in its entirety. There is often a debate about changes in legislation, the planning processes, plans of land use, economic aspects of construction prices and financing in the form of loans, taxes and subsidies. While many issues are being investigated, compiled and resolved, according to research (SOU 2013:34; SOU 2019:68; Kommittén för modernare byggregler 2019), there are problems in the work on housing supply. To understand why there is a shortage of housing supply for a certain group of individuals, I must investigate how the state, regions and municipalities work with this problem. This is because there may be a failure in the system.
2.2 Research question
To be able to see one or more solutions to the research problem, I need to get answers to the following questions.
x Why is there a shortage of housing for this group?
x What opportunities do municipalities have for supplying housing?
x Do municipalities have the means necessary to meet the need for housing supply for this group?
x How do the regional visions and goals correspond to the municipality's planning for the housing supply?
2.3 Delimitations
The geographical limitation will be seen from a Swedish perspective and the region of Stockholm with 3 chosen municipalities. Stockholm, Sundbyberg and Österåker.
It is not comprehensive plans and detailed plans from the municipalities that will be mainly examined, instead guidelines for housing supply are examined as the basis for these plans.
As the thesis is based on a social science, interdisciplinary subject, the solutions represented as proposals for the problem will not be further investigated.
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2.4 Disposition
Chapter 1 begins with an introduction. It shows an overview of the research. Chapter 2 describes the aim of the thesis, which shows the direction of the future research. Research problems, research questions and delimitations are also described here. Chapter 3 is followed by a method that describes what has been done and why it has been done. Subsequently, the thesis is followed by Chapter 4, which conducts research overview in the subject. Chapter 5 presents housing and how housing supply works. The empirical data is presented in Chapter 6, which describes the material to be analysed. The analyses take place in Chapter 7 where the empirical data is interpreted. Chapter 8 summarizes the results and then concludes with Chapter 9 where a conclusion is given of the most important parts of the thesis.
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3 METHOD
This chapter describes the tools used that set out the approach of the choices that are made.
3.1 Research Strategy
In order to choose a strategy that fits into this context and that favours the goals, a risk assessment must be made (Denscombe, Martyn 2018, p. 21). In my case, it is about getting access to various documents to be analysed. The time aspect also represents a risk that has been included in the assessment.
The strategy used in the thesis is through a case study, which means that advanced connections must be understood within a certain social framework. At the same time, a selection is made where data is collected to test the theory. Qualitative research, which is associated with small-scale studies, is used when text is analysed and where detailed knowledge is required (Ibid, p. 22-23).
The qualitative research method has been chosen to get answers to my questions. This is because it is based on documents in text form that will be interpreted, compared and analysed by me personally as the author of this essay.
The selection consists of produced and decided documents by authorities that will be analysed. In this case, it applies to analyses of empirical material. These are documents with set goals and visions at a regional level and guidelines for housing supply at a municipal level. Analyses are made to see how the documents and texts at a regional level and a municipal level to understand if there may be conflicting facts.
3.2 Documentary research
The original source as a document in the form of written text constitutes a social study. The documents contain information of value which conveys the usefulness of the essay. From what is written in text form it is possible to read and make interpretations of something more detailed that is not directly expressed in words (Denscombe, Martyn 2018, p. 321).
The saved documents are documents that will be available for a long time. The publications can be considered credible, impartial and fact-based when it is produced by authorities. Articles from journals and newspapers have a research value as there is some specialization from the publications and journalists' knowledge. Web-based websites are also considered as a type of document (Ibid, p. 322-323, 325).
The credibility of sources as documents must be confirmed regardless of origin. Depending on the type of self-interest behind the source, it may be difficult to define certain facts. For documents available on the Internet, checks are needed regarding, among other things, authority, updates, the purpose and who wrote the document (Ibid, p. 328-329, 331).
The advantages of documentary research are that it is accessible to many, a wide range of information and easy to access. The disadvantages are that an assessment of the original information is required, especially when it comes to documents from the Internet. Information from sources can
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change its purpose depending on what documents originally are aimed for. Figures can be created based on interpretations rather than the correct statistics (Ibid, p. 338-339).
Through previous courses in the program, course literature within planning at the government level has been studied. On the other hand, I find that the amount of research literature in housing supply for this group is somewhat limited. The housing situation is constantly developing and changing after each year. Therefore, I have chosen to search for the latest material and literature to the extent possible. The subject of housing is very wide and there is much written about housing issues in general in Sweden. Therefore, I have chosen to constantly seek the first source in my selection.
In order to understand how housing supply works at planning level, literature at research level needs to be studied. Initially, searches were conducted by current research at various institutes such as IBF, Institute for Housing and Urban Research. Subsequently, searches have mainly been conducted through Summon via the library's website at BTH, Blekinge Institute of Technology. DiVA-portal is an online tool produced by different universities and institutions (The DiVA consortium n.d). I have used this website to search for different essays by students in the same field as this thesis. Books, scientific articles, journals and publications, and news from the internet have been the more common sources of search. The literature has been written in Swedish and English.
Boverket's website has been helpful as their descriptions are often detailed enough. It is a great advantage that many sources today are free to download through the different websites.
Keywords used have mainly been in housing supply, housing shortage and the housing market. In order to get a deeper understanding, searches have also been related to different groups in the society. For documents in the analysis part of this thesis, searches have been made at each region and municipality. By searching for the researchers' names, even more results of literature have been found.
In my case, I will investigate whether the research indicates any deficiencies within the authorities in the planning of the public sector and who is responsible.
Names and technical terms have had to be translated from Swedish to English, especially within the context from the administrative authorities. Therefore, I have chosen the following sources.
x Boverket - The National Board of Housing´s glossary (Boverket 2016a)
x Public Housing Sweden glossary (Sveriges Allmännytta 2007)
x The Swedish National Term Bank (Rikstermbanken 2019)
x Swedish/English Glossary (Sveriges domstolar 2019)
x Swedish - English dictionary; for municipalities, county councils and regions (Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting 2011)
x The Swedish parliament´s multilingual dictionary (Sveriges riksdag 2015)
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3.3 Grounded theory
Based on my assessment that previous research in this field is somewhat limited, a grounded theory has been applied.
The approach for a grounded theory is to develop theories. It starts with empirical research and the theory emerges from the data. Throughout the process, the researcher must continue collecting data. As much detail as possible should be collected about the situation. The primary thing is to analyse and produce data where the ideas are to be compared with previous data. It is not possible to identify exactly what should be included in the selection before the study begins according to the theory. This is contrary to the usual social research, where the researcher otherwise has a clear idea of the selection. Without a solid idea that is guiding the study, the subject must be approached. The theory is well suited for those who decide to explore new areas. Research based on a grounded theory should continue until theoretical saturation is achieved. The selection process can be terminated when new data confirms the analysis. This is different from the fact that the researcher should be clear from the beginning on the scope of the selection (Denscombe, Martyn 2018, p. 152- 154, 156, 159).
3.4 Selection
The selection is carried out through an exploratory selection which aims at information of qualitative data from part of the total (Denscombe, Martyn 2018, p. 57-59). In this case a region and several municipalities. The approach then follows the non-probability sample as I believe it is not possible to include a larger number of regions or municipalities.
The advantages of a selection are that it cuts down time compared to including everything, while the disadvantage is that there is a risk of selection errors, which creates uncertainty (Ibid, p. 82-83).
The reason why the Stockholm region has been selected is because, according to PBL, regional planning is required. It differs from all other regions in Sweden where the requirement does not exist, except in Region Skåne, where regional planning also is required. Stockholm as the capital is also a region with a large population and economic growth. The choice of the number of municipalities was estimated after obtaining an overview of current documents.
The following municipalities have been selected for examination of the guidelines for housing supply
x Stockholm municipality x Sundbyberg Municipality x Österåkers municipality
These municipalities were chosen because it shows a mixed selection from the region. The municipalities differ geographically but also with its population, the size of land, demographics and political challenges.
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3.5 Case study
By focusing on processes in specific cases, the purpose is to pay more attention to the overall. The type of case should be studied deeply but, in its entirety to understand how they are related (Denscombe, Martyn 2018, p. 85-87). In this essay, it refers to a regional plan and guidelines for housing supply.
The cases are relevant if it examines the research questions to be answered. The choice of the case is based on a theory-testing unit which means that there is a connection to previous theories (Ibid, p. 90-91).
The advantages of case studies are that they suit small-scale studies and focus on one or a few places. However, it is difficult to criticize the credibility of the general. The risks with studies that focus on processes are that it is considered to deliver data with soft values instead of pure statistics. It can also be difficult to define different situations (Ibid, p. 96-98)
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4 RESEARCH OVERVIEW
This overview includes research in the subject area through a dissertation, scientific articles and an investigation by the state. Thereafter, criticism of the investigation is also presented.
4.1 The housing question
From revolutions to revolts, progress in housing in Sweden has seen a dramatic change in the development of cities over the last century. Society has responded to this difficult-to-understand phenomenon. Not only in Sweden but also in other modern societies, the development of housing has been of great importance. One of the biggest challenges facing Western society was the transformation and development of the housing infrastructure. In anticipation of a better life and work, people from the countryside moved to larger cities. This in turn led to a widespread housing crisis, both qualitative and quantitative. The demand for housing was not enough for the number of available homes. Apartments were occupied and slums were created. The number of speculators in the housing market meant that many buildings had deficient standards. Diseases spread and congestion was not uncommon in combination with daily conflicts. The rents were often more than half of the residents’ income. It was barely possible to survive. Modern society had been infected by a structural disease. The housing crisis is now not only a matter of housing shortage that Stockholm experienced in the mid-19th century. During this industrial era, the housing problem would be fought outside of numbers and statistics, but instead in complex political, economic, social and cultural dimensions. It was Friedrich Engel's method for looking at new solutions. Today, the housing shortage does not consist of a working class living in bad, overcrowded and unhealthy housing. To the present, this shortage of housing is not very special. None of those who suffer from the problem today are considered to belong to a special class for themselves, much like the previous group. All types of subclasses suffered for different periods in the same way from the problem. Engels, who also became known for his article called "The Housing Question", said that in the transformation of society, the problem must therefore be solved from its innermost centre. It is only possible to solve the housing question by solving the social issue first. The modern housing question was characterized by this revolutionary text. At first, when both the “community” and the “housing architecture” in the cities were highlighted. And secondly, when he recognized the phenomenon as inherent in civilization and that it was relevant to societies. The "The Housing Question" was for the first time specified as a project with a term and within the society (Movilla Vega, Daniel; Hallemar, Dan 2017, p. 17-18).
4.2 The right to housing
For the past 30 years, urban development processes have been transformed into an area for a neoliberal agenda worldwide. This has a particularly negative impact on the weak group through privatization of the housing stock and a liberalization of the housing sector. The difference between the rich and the poor is increasing as well as inequality. To understand the importance of the neoliberal city, politics must clarify the process. When it comes to involving citizens more ideologically, they need to interact with the leading power in different values, basic ideas, streamlining and political patterns. Citizens can therefore be seen as consumers where individuals are expected to take their own responsibility to meet the most basic needs such as a home (Valenzuela-Fuentes, Polanska, Kaun 2017, p. 359).
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New bases for planning have emerged regarding neoliberal relations. It is related to economic and political aspects that do not always harmonize with the social orientations of planning. When questions about social aspects of planning arise, it can be traced to frictions in a neoliberal situation. Private players seeking profit interests are gaining more and more influence. This can be seen as the normal form of planning today. Long-term goals are becoming increasingly difficult to secure, which can be derived from the fact that public planning is critically affected by the private sector. Processes can lead to social exclusion. It is sometimes considered difficult to plan for both economic growth and social interests at the same time when demands become contradictory (Loit Jon 2014, pp. 16-17).
An allocation of private and public capital with economic advantages is the theory on which neoliberalism is based on. People are affected to the extent that it leads to injustice in society (Ibid, p. 50).
Sweden and Stockholm's development has been affected by neoliberalism. Today, it can be questioned whether Sweden, which is normally perceived as a welfare country, has a public sector with a lot of power. Compared to other countries, neoliberalism in Sweden has not been affected to the same extent. The welfare state in Sweden manages to handle neoliberal reforms better. The public system still takes responsibility for the social parts (Ibid, pp. 50-51).
4.3 Difficulties with local housing supply at a public level
Housing researcher Anna Granath Hansson states that housing strategies at the municipality level as one of the several identified problems. Motivated and sustainable strategies for housing construction are lacking in several municipalities. They are not adapted for a quick planning process. Especially in the big cities, there are also deficiencies in regional cooperation (Granath Hansson, Anna 2015, p. 5).
Martin Grander who is another housing researcher claims that a new housing investigation is needed with a focus on social needs. The housing market is once again reflected by an inequality. Public housing companies have a hard time being useful for the public, as there are increased requirements for being more business orientated. Depending on the development of the public housing with its rental properties, municipalities who today can govern themselves may be limited and the limits on issues regarding housing supply may be seen very critically. How big the housing shortage is, what group of people are involved and that no one is left without a home must be made clear from the beginning (Grander Martin 2019).
Associate Professor Kristina Alstam writes that there is an error in the system. The situation is problematic when the procurement market within public housing does not work. A liberalization of the prizes on rental apartments is a misunderstanding. It is the proposals that are developed by the solutions that are the problem (Alstam Kristina 2019).
According to Boverket - the National Board of Housing, it is difficult for municipalities to make assessments of how many people that are affected by a deficit of housing as there are no statistics and methods. If there are no renting apartments overall, the municipalities' social tools, such as priority regulations, rental guarantees or second-hand leases, will not suffice to solve the housing needs. While there is a need to find new tools, the municipalities also need to take advantage of guidelines for housing supply, land ownership and public utility. It is not enough to invest in cheaper housing at the national and local level. In order to cope with the housing supply for the weak group, a new model needs to be developed and the housing policy reviewed (Boverket 2019a).
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A government inquiry has been prepared from the state with the name "A joint housing supply responsibility" (SOU 2018: 35). Municipalities work in many ways different and have different ambitions. The housing shortage in the municipalities is not always identified in a structured way on which its directives are aimed. Although municipalities have a solid basis on the residents' housing needs, there is not always information on the supply of housing just for the weak group in the housing market. Therefore, it is difficult to know how much effort is needed from both the municipality and the state. It can be stated that there are no conditions for municipalities to take their responsibility. On the one hand, a common picture is required from both the state and the municipality of what the task entails, but also a coordination of efforts between these two actors. Municipalities need an analysis of the housing market and how it will develop. For measures in the housing shortage, some municipalities need financial support, but also state intervention is needed at the national level to manage the shortage of housing that exists. (SOU 2018:35, pp. 14-15)
No municipality has made a complete assessment of the difference between the supply of housing and the supply that would provide housing for the weak group in the housing market. Municipalities also express a lack of portraying groups as weak, but this does not apply to all. There are also municipalities that provide a more detailed view of the group. There are no descriptions of how this group's needs are met in the housing market, but also summaries of how the group is identified, how reality-based the information is and how it is used in planning for housing construction. It is doubtful whether any municipality has assessed the need for housing compared to the supply. (Ibid, pp. 119- 120).
There is a lack in the knowledge of systems and contexts regarding housing supply within various actors. Municipalities, for example, do not know how to use the document - guidelines for housing supply and what it should contain to function in a planning context with clear goals, measures and its needs. For those who work with housing supply, it has been difficult to prioritize what is most important as the goals are sometimes contradictory. There are no regulations for goals to align with each other from the state, region and municipality. There was neither any follow-up for how the goals should relate to each other. It is unclear exactly where the deeper knowledge of the housing supply should be located. The division of responsibilities between state and region needs to be clarified. The regional arena needs to be put together as PBL requires interaction between those involved at the regional and municipal level. Often, the issue of planning for those who are excluded from the housing market has not been handled by municipalities in connection with planning for housing supply. In order to develop the work on tools for housing supply for the weak group, the municipalities need support. According to the County Administrative Board, the municipalities need to fulfil 5 conditions for a good job with housing supply. This applies to (1) the will within the politicians, (2) analyses and knowledge base between administrations, (3) solving issues between administrations and politics, (4) resources and skills, (5) cooperation between regions and municipalities (Länsstyrelserna 2018, pp. 9-10).
4.4 Criticism on the investigation
Parts of the housing supply that the municipality is responsible for may be taken over by the state according to the investigation proposed by the state (A joint housing supply responsibility, SOU 2018:35). However, the results from a legislative change in the housing supply are unclear. The definition of the weak group must be made clear. HGF, The tenant association looks positively at the initiatives that are taken, while Public Housing Sweden - Sveriges allmännytta is not as satisfied as they believe that it is based on a state model with a planning economy that may therefore fail. While the investigators state that the idea is that everyone should take a joint responsibility. In the new
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Housing Supply Act, the central role in the process will be the County Administrative Board, which distributes state funding. The responsibility for the roles of solving the housing shortage must be clarified between the municipalities, the regions, the County Administrative Boards and Boverket. A distribution of capital that already exists today needs to be made between the municipality and the region. The investigation that is made is not considered to give any criticism to the municipalities, although many municipalities do not have housing for the weak group, which only a few smaller municipalities have succeeded with. Housing allowance is not considered sufficiently utilized and according to the municipalities there is no intention to introduce that for the weak group. One fourth of the municipalities have rental guarantees. The municipalities that lack a housing agency also have no intention of introducing one. It is not often a residence can be obtained through the municipal land use agreement. The reason why the housing shortage is still going on for the weak group may be the belief that new housing construction will solve the problem (Hem & Hyra 2018a).
Criticism against the investigation also comes from SKR, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, who believes that it can lead to restrictions in municipal self-government, if more responsibility is placed on the state. In order to avoid taking more responsibility, the government is considered to have directed the investigation to a certain extent. The investigation is insufficient because the assignment on the investigation has been too narrow. The state is regarded as acting passively according to SKR and deems that the investigation had many financial constraints. It may be very expensive for the municipalities in the future. It has already been very costly for many municipalities through a reduced distribution of housing allowance. This in turn, is since the income has not followed the cost trend. It is unclear how much the state would contribute to the municipalities financially (Hem & Hyra 2018b).
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5 HOUSING
The following chapter starts with the housing market and what the housing situation looks like for the group outside the ordinary market. After that, a description of the planning in Sweden is presented at different levels during the last century. Furthermore, responsibility conditions and laws are described and then explained how the housing supply works in practice.
5.1 The housing market
In the larger cities in Sweden, housing shortages have increased over the past 2 decades. The reasons are considered above all too limited new construction and a weak mobility in the older housing stock. Most evident is the housing shortage in the lower price ranges of rental properties (Granath Hansson, Anna 2015).
Överskott - Surplus Balans - Balance Brist - Shortage
Figure 2. The situation on the housing market 1983 - 2019 The housing shortages the past decades (Hurvibor.se 2019).
The diagram above shows the situation in the housing market. It is shown in percent (%) for municipalities. The upper, yellow field indicates a surplus, the middle and green indicate a balance, and the lower and orange indicate a shortage. In addition to the increased housing shortage in the last 2 decades, the figure also shows that there was a strong surplus of housing during the mid-90s and an increased housing shortage in the late 80s.
Housing creates conditions for growth and welfare. Attracting new residents to municipalities requires attractive housing and environments. People looking for jobs at different employers also need somewhere to settle down. Municipal planning is an important factor when it comes to housing, as it affects the entire municipality. A variety of housing supply is required for residents with different needs and at different stages of life. All groups in the society need to be involved in the planning of housing, even with a limited economy. It is about new constructions and rebuilding’s. In order to create good solutions to the need, cooperation should take place at different levels in the municipalities and between its various administrations (Boverket 2016b).
5.2 The situation for the group outside the housing market
Some people find it difficult to enter the ordinary housing market according to housing researcher Anna Granath Hansson. This is often the case because of financial or social barriers. In addition to
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this there is a lack of choice of cheap rental housing. In recent years, housing shortages have been debated as well as constructions of new apartments, but now the question also arises of which groups are most affected. Particular attention has been paid to young adults, students, newly arrived and the elderly. Another group that has also been discussed is the homeless, whose group has increased as the municipalities' costs for this group has increased. The need for a functioning housing supply is written about as the housing shortage grows for those who cannot access a home (Granath Hansson, Anna 2020).
The group is severely affected because the market is not in balance. Boverket specifies the following groups in the housing supply (Boverket 2019e).
x Youths x Students x Elderly x People with disabilities x Newly arrived x Households with limited economy x Homeless
The County Administrative Board has analysed the housing market for the group who has difficulty accessing a home. Given that homelessness is increasing while new homes are being built, all actors need to adapt to this. This group that is having difficulty entering the housing market do not have enough focus on housing supply. (Länsstyrelserna 2018, pp. 3, 6)
Regarding the population development, there is an uneven distribution of residents in the country. There is a demand for both smaller and larger housing, especially low-cost rental apartments, as the labour market and household finances are uncertain. The social challenges in housing issues are numerous and intend, among other things, to counter segregation, reduce income gaps, challenges with low payment capacities and make housing more accessible in the existing housing stock. For those who find it difficult to get a home, the situation has become worse. It is not only a weak economy that makes the conditions poor, but also a lack of social contacts and disabilities. It is to the big cities that people move, but only 50 % of the inhabitants have a steady income. The uncertainty is high among various housing situations, as contact with the authorities does not always occur. According to the National Board of Health and Welfare, more people live in the secondary housing market with contacts from municipalities or their own social networks. Apart from the need for a home, 20 % have no other needs, such as treatment or other kinds of support. The social services now need to handle more people, who usually do not need any support because of the housing situation. Single women with children in homelessness have increased. On the other hand, people with addictions and mental illness have decreased. There are few municipalities that map the housing need for the homeless, but large cities are at the frontline. Reports from for example, Stadsmissionen and Save the Children provide knowledge about the housing situation. Newly arrived people are a group that is in a very difficult situation in the housing market. The Settlement Act has given a positive effect but can also contribute to contradictions when other groups end up in the background. Due to limited physical ability, many elderly people with weak finances are stuck in their current homes. As the supply is less than the demand for suitable housing for this group, people with special services are more vulnerable according to LSS, The Swedish Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments. Many children are also in a vulnerable situation when long-term safe environments are neglected. An exclusion from the housing market also occurs when landlords make demands on income or employment. Some municipalities ask the County Administrative Board what the right to a home is from a public responsibility. To clarify different definitions in housing supply issues is needed (Ibid pp. 7-9).
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5.3 Governance
The different levels of governance are interlinked in the Swedish governmental system. The state and local level has a stronger role compared with the regional level. The state equals the government who is responsible overall (Larsson Torbjörn, Bäck Henry 2008).
There is a tradition of a strong central power in Sweden where municipal powers also play a significant role as well as with their self-governing. Through the County Administrative Boards, the regions have been governed by the state. Due to coordination between state, region and municipality, attention is required on the need for regional planning (Malmström Bertil 2019).
Between the 20s and 50s, small municipalities seemed to have too much power. Around the 30s, an attempt was made to coordinate regions. It was a failure to try to coordinate regions when, without consulting them, a general plan was made. The regional plan was a product of a compromise. This led to regional planning being seen to produce poor results and filled with conflicts. In order to find solutions that could be coordinated, the pressure on politics increased. General plans would be made by the municipalities where housing was an important part. Loans and rules were governed by the state and in 1945 new goals for housing policy were formulated where, among other things, repression was to be ceased and the rent limited to income (Ibid).
During the 50s, the regional plan had been implemented into legalization and small municipalities joined together. The regional plan was a successful example and Sweden was a role model in planning. This is the result of today's RUFS, the Stockholm's regional development plan. The actors in the housing construction during the 50-70s were mainly the state and the municipalities. While municipalities were given planning monopoly and public housing companies, the regions had weak actors. There was a high rate of new construction where the municipalities built while the state lent money. Industrialized building provided larger residential areas under the so called the million homes programme, which is the name for the housing policy that was carried out in Sweden during the period 1964-75. One million dwellings were to be built in ten years (Nationalencyklopedin 2020). The use of land would prove to have a clear role in the spatial planning by the state. Goals as visions were made by the state when there were no longer relevant to make national plans. (Ibid).
During the 90s, municipalities became responsible for housing supply, while privatizations and reductions took place, planning became complex in some areas. (Ibid).
Today, the municipalities are expected to be overt and adaptable to different types of collaborations as the processes change. Citizens are sometimes seen as customers when making market-oriented proposals. Regional and local actors are also affected without being able to control it themselves. One reason is when states together make decisions on a higher level such as at a European level. This means that the dialogue becomes longer between the local and the state, which can lead to weak rights in a democracy. At a regional level, investments are being made on growth and planning is taking place between the municipal boundaries such as the new construction of housing. The weak support in the law puts questions regarding housing in a difficult position (Ibid).
Different forms of governance can determine the rules that apply to the arena of the housing market. Instead of focusing on national interventions at different levels and responsibilities, it is important to ask, what is being done, when is it done and for whom it is being done (Movilla Vega, Daniel; Hallemar, Dan 2017, p. 314).
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5.4 Responsibility for housing supply
At a national level, the Swedish government is responsible for issues regarding housing and community planning through the Ministry of Finance. The planning involves financing of a housing market that fulfils its function (Regeringskansliet n.d.a). The Unit for Housing and Construction is responsible for questions concerning housing supply (Regeringskansliet 2019).
The County Administrative Board who reports and analyses the housing market is also responsible for this. They produce a housing market analysis every year, ensures that the municipalities participate in the housing market survey every year for which Boverket is responsible. The County Administrative Board also collects information on value transfers from the municipal housing companies. In order to support the municipalities, the County Administrative Board also assists with the development of guidelines for housing supply (Länsstyrelsen Stockholm n.d).
The municipalities in Sweden are responsible for the housing supply in a planning context, which means that housing can be built. However, the municipalities do not usually build housing them self, which is why it is about creating conditions for housing. The conditions in the municipalities are different depending on their ambition, resources and needs (Boverket 2016c).
In addition to supporting the County Administrative Board with housing market analyses, Boverket is responsible for assisting municipalities on issues regarding the planning of housing supply. Boverket is also responsible for making regulations, general advice and guidance, but also follow up on how PBL is used in practice. On behalf of the government, Boverket is analysing and investigating state support and the contribution of grants in various areas (Boverket 2016e).
5.5 Housing supply according to the law
The government states that housing is a human right. Children, women and people with disabilities are considered to be individuals who should be given special protection (Regeringskansliet n.d.b).
In particular, it is the duty of the public institutions to secure the right to housing as stated in The Constitution of Sweden (Regeringskansliet 2013).
Since 1947, housing supply has been legislated and now also the regional view and the role of the County Administrative Board are stated. There is a link from BFL to PBL, where housing supply is stated as a public interest. The state is responsible for the legal and financial aspects of housing policy (Boverket 2016d). The most recent changes in the law are from the year 2014 (Sveriges riksdag 2013).
The Housing Supply Act states that:
“Each municipality must plan with guidelines for housing supply in the municipality. The purpose of the planning is to create conditions for everyone in the municipality to live in good housing and to promote that appropriate measures for housing supply are prepared and implemented”.
"In planning the housing supply, the municipality shall consult with concerned municipalities and give the County Administrative Board, the actor with responsible for regional growth work in the county and other regional bodies the opportunity to express themselves"
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“The municipality's guidelines for housing supply must contain at least the following information”
1. the municipality's goals for housing construction and development of the housing stock; 2. the municipality's planned efforts to achieve set goals, and 3. how the municipality has taken into account relevant national and regional goals, plans and programs that are important for housing supply.
“The data should be based in particular on an analysis of demographic trends, housing demand, housing needs for specific groups and market conditions”.
AKBL, The Municipal Housing Companies Act became effective in 2011. Social responsibility is included here. The purpose is that the companies, in public utility, must manage properties where tenants are used as a form of tenure. The companies are to promote housing supply in their own municipality and offer the residents influence in the company. Business principles applicable to the company (Sveriges Allmännytta n.d).
5.6 Regional analyses of the housing market
Regional housing market analysis, BMA, are produced annually by the County Administrative Board. They show the development of the housing market in the different regions. Sweden has 21 different regions. The municipal housing market surveys compiled by Boverket constitute a basis for the regional analyses. The basis that contains analyses is prepared by the County Administrative Board. This gives municipalities, housing companies and other actors knowledge about the development of the housing market. The documentation must then be submitted to Boverket, which compiles the documents to the government. The reports are then followed up with seminars, meetings and discussions. These then contribute to the strategic documents such as the guidelines for housing supply and comprehensive plans (Boverket 2019d).
5.7 Boverket´s Housing Market Survey
The national survey called BME, the Housing Market Survey is sent annually to all 290 municipalities in Sweden. The answers contain assessments from the municipalities and give a picture of the housing market. The purpose is to follow developments and look at the future prospects in the housing market. The County Administrative Board reviews the municipalities' responses, assures the quality and gives criticism. The municipalities make assessments and estimate the need for housing, whether it be a deficit, surplus or a balance (Boverket 2018).
5.8 Guidelines for housing supply
In the following part, I will describe the municipality's guidelines for housing supply as stated by Boverket (Boverket 2019c).
In 2019, 261 municipalities in Sweden stated that they had adopted guidelines for housing supply, which is a large increase since previous years. The reason why not everyone has developed and adopted guidelines is due to, among other things, lack of resources, ongoing process, already has an overview, a balanced housing market or disagreements among politicians.
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Several municipalities have targets for their housing supply guidelines. The goals are qualitative and indicate that new housing will be built. In addition, the municipalities state that the need for housing must meet the demand for the various groups. 44 municipalities state that there is a need for the elderly, 14 that it is needed for people with disabilities, 13 for newly arrived and 10 municipalities for students.
The group that has a weak income is very rarely mentioned. However, it can be shown in groups within other contexts. Several municipalities indicate that it should be built with different forms of lease with social, economic and ecologically sustainable environments. The term “attractive” is used 124 times while “sustainable” is used 89 times.
As it is possible to apply for government grants for housing construction, this is an explanation for the increased number of housing supply guidelines. The government can submit municipalities to comply with the Housing Supply Act.
The guidelines for housing supply should show how municipalities plan on several issues. It may be if there is a need for special groups, if the supply meets the demand and if the supply is in accordance with today's needs.
Figure 3. Adopted guidelines The red areas on the map show which municipalities that have adopted guidelines for housing supply between the years 2011 until 2018.
5.9 Municipalities' tools for housing supply
x Municipal planning monopoly x Comprehensive plans and detailed plans x Land policy x Public housing companies x Housing office x Municipal guarantees for rents
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5.9.1 Municipal planning monopoly
The municipalities are responsible for planning areas within land and water use. The right to adopt different plans and decide on detailed planning is only made through the municipalities. Through primarily private investment, new housing is produced. Municipalities can increase housing construction by providing directives to their own housing companies. If the municipalities own land, it is possible to control the construction of the housing substantially (Boverket 2019b).
5.9.2 Comprehensive plans and detailed plans
Prerequisites for areas with new housing and development of already existing housing are created by the municipalities. Locations for housing are normally described in the comprehensive plan, while the detailed plan controls what may be built and how the volume looks. The detailed plan is legally binding as opposed to the comprehensive plan (Ibid).
5.9.3 Land policy
For an active housing policy, the municipalities can utilize their owned land. In order to allocate land for calculated housing, the municipalities can acquire land. In agreements, conditions can be regulated for housing construction by determining the housing sizes or the form of tenure. Given that the municipality owns land, an agreement on land allocation can be decided between a municipality and a property developer. The municipality can set conditions by negotiating with the developer. Land guidelines prepared by the municipality must contain guidelines that specify different goals for construction, routines, conditions and principles for pricing the land (Ibid).
5.9.4 Public housing companies
In order to support housing supply in municipalities, the offer can be controlled through municipal housing companies. Housing should be adapted to different groups and aim to support a varied range of good quality. This in turn can lead to an increased number of rented apartments in the municipalities (Ibid).
The public housing companies are located throughout Sweden whose essential mission is to provide sustainable and affordable housing for everyone. About 30% of the country's inhabitants rent their housing. Municipalities own half of all apartments in the country while the remaining half is owned by private real estate companies. Political parties agree that public housing companies should offer housing, regardless of age, ethnicity or income. However, there is a political debate about market rents (Byggindustrin 2020). The proposal will increase interest in building rents according to housing researcher Erik Stenberg but will not solve the basic problem (Expressen 2019). According to housing researcher Dominika Polanska, the pressure is increasing to introduce market rents. the arguments do not follow existing research. (Polanska Dominika 2019). The companies should also take social responsibility by building new housing and renovating existing once. They should also act business efficiency, which means that they must be profitable over time. On equal terms, they must compete with private housing companies (allmännyttan.se n.d).
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5.9.5 Housing office
Different property owners can decide which rules should apply through a municipal housing office. Depending on the situation on the housing market, the municipalities may have to organize this office in accordance with the Housing Supply Act. Costs and ordering rules may be required for those applicants and several municipalities can join together (Boverket 2019b).
5.9.6 Municipal guarantees for rents
If households find it difficult to enter the housing market, even though there is an ability to pay, support can be given from municipalities. This applies to those who have financial opportunities in the form of a temporary income instead of permanent employment. This can then give the applicant their own lease agreement. Municipalities can receive state support for this through grants (Ibid).
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6 EMPIRICAL DATA
This part shows the gathered material of documents from the region and municipalities. 6.1 Regional planning in Stockholm
The number of municipalities in the Stockholm region are 26. The land area amounts to 6,500 km2. About 8 % are protected by nature. The lakes and streams amount to a total of 630 km2. Approximately 2.3 million inhabitants were registered in the region in 2018 and there are approximately 1 million housing (Stockholms läns landsting, SLL, p. 10).
Figure 4. The Stockholm region The map shows where Stockholm region is located with its municipalities in relation to Sweden (Region Stockholm n.d.c).
6.1.1 RUFS 2050
The regional development plan for Stockholm, RUFS 2050, is a strategic plan. The purpose of the plan is to address the challenges that exist in a long-term view. It is also believed that the region's facilities should be taken care of. It is the whole of Stockholm's collected will that is behind the future planning at municipal and regional level. The plan is based on planning for infrastructure, growth and the national European Regional Development Fund programme. Many actors have been involved in the plan and are therefore also responsible for it (Region Stockholm n.d.a).
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6.1.2 Visions and goals
“Europe's most attractive metropolitan region” It is the vision of the Stockholm region (Stockholms läns landsting, SLL, p. 7).
At least 3.5 million inhabitants will be in the Stockholm region by 2050 (Ibid, p. 3).
A strong increase in population is evident in the Stockholm region. The number of dwellings does not correspond to the population. This has been a case for a long time. All municipalities in Stockholm have a shortage of housing. It looks like they will continue with this shortage for the next few years. Not so many new houses completed in 2016 have been built since 1975. In addition to new construction and redevelopment, holiday homes are also being converted into permanent housing (Ibid, p. 178).
The demand for housing depends on several aspects, including the following (Ibid, p. 179).
x Low and high economy situation x The number of new residents x Attractive locations x Geographical movements x Terms of financing
The number of housing is built according to market principles when the actors count on provisions. It is difficult to express if the construction meets the requirements according to the need that exists. There may be a deficit in the amount of housing, their different sizes and forms of lease. Methods are lacking to find out how many homes that are needed, but also statistics on how the existing supply relates to the population (Ibid, pp. 179-180).
Figure 5. Population and housing stock in the Stockholm region The blue lines show the population increase and the green bars the housing stock in Stockholm. (Ibid, p. 179)
The region assumes that some 600,000 new housing will be needed by 2050. Therefore, it should be planned for approximately 750,000. It is important that the municipalities prepare for this (Ibid, p. 180).
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Calculations have been made for the need for new housing in the region. It shows a need for 20,000 new homes per year. However, it also appears that only 15,000 households can and will request this number of housing. (Region Stockholm n.d.b).
Housing supply must be planned and built for different groups in the housing market according to their needs. This applies regardless of price, attractivity or forms of lease. Without having access to vast capital means, there should still be possible to meet the demand. Likewise, housing for a shorter time for students, researchers or temporary jobs. The document identifies certain groups among residents who have particular difficulties (Stockholms läns landsting, SLL, p. 180).
x Youths x Young adults x People with disabilities x Elderly x People who newly arrived in Sweden x Women in need of sheltered housing x People with a low ability to pay
Regardless of the gender of citizens, their life chances should be realized. That requires an equal housing market (Ibid, p. 31).
Long-term illnesses or changing situations in family relationships are other causes that make it a tough competition in the housing market. The problems with housing supply affect long-term competition and the attraction in the region (Ibid, p. 28).
Building new dwellings is a solution to overcome the lack of housing. However, this represents only 1.5 % of the total number of homes per year. As relocations due to changes of housing are the decisive characteristic, mobility needs to increase within the existing housing supply. Taxes and requirements for financing that the state is responsible for are of great importance in this context (Ibid, p. 180).
The focus is on increased knowledge in the construction industry. The plan asks itself how housing for everyone can be accommodated. There is a need for collaboration that is not only better but also more creative between different actors. Another focus is on developed legislation with a common view (Ibid, p. 43).
Collaboration is needed to support new housing and strengthen long-term development in the housing market. This applies to different actors in the entire county and especially between different municipalities. There is insufficient knowledge to assess the true need for the number of new homes in the region. In order to be able to make an overall assessment of what requirements are to be imposed on the state, cooperation is also needed at regional level (Ibid, p. 181).
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6.2 Investigation of the municipal housing supply
6.2.1 Stockholm municipality
Stockholm Municipality or as it is also called the City of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. It is the largest municipality with around 960 000 inhabitants (Stockholms stad 2020a). The city is divided into 14 district areas. (Stockholms stad 2020b).
6.2.1.1 The housing supply
The guidelines for housing supply 2017 –2020 are a governing document that was decided in 2017. The County Administrative Board's recommendations have been followed when developing the document. The work has been carried out as a sub-project within the framework of a new comprehensive plan. In addition to the County Administrative Board, consultations have also been conducted with the region and The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Stockholms stad 2017, p. 48).
Issues regarding housing supply constitute an extensive and progressive work. Several documents set out short and long-term goals for the housing supply. These are among other documents, a Vision for 2040, a comprehensive plan and a decision made by the city council in 2015. The comprehensive plan contains the city's guidelines for housing supply (Ibid, p. 7).
6.2.1.2 “A Stockholm for everyone”
Various processes within both new construction and the older housing stock are included in the housing supply. Good housing should be given to those who move in and to those who already live in the city. This applies to all groups for which the municipality is responsible for (Ibid, p. 8).
There is a coordinator who works with the goals of housing construction and a housing coordinator in the technical departments. New working methods are needed to achieve the ambitions of building housing. Clear instructions and collaborations are required as the processes in the construction industry are complex (Ibid, p. 9).
Of all housing completed in Sweden in 2016, approximately 30% was in the Stockholm region. In Stockholm's municipality, 40% of the total number of homes were built in the region. The municipalities outside Stockholm have increased their pace of construction compared with previous years. Municipal boundaries play a minor role for people, as it is common to commute from other municipalities outside Stockholm (Ibid, p. 10).
In the City of Stockholm, there are a total of about 468,000 housing, of which 5% are special housing, 9% are one- and two-dwelling buildings and the remaining 86% are multi-dwelling houses. The municipality's definition of special housing is apartments for students, those with disabilities and the elderly with others. Rents account for 41% of which 15% is in the public interest (Ibid, 11).
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6.2.1.3 National, regional and municipal goals
Boverket recently changed the prognosis for the need for new construction. By 2025, 710,000 are now needed, of which 440,000 by 2020. The reason is, among other things, that construction has not increased to the same extent as in previous years and that the increase in population is greater than previously feared (Ibid, 10).
It is the growing population that quickly means that the need for housing in Stockholm will be required by the year 2030. The region's population is young, many new children are born, and the number of new immigrants increases, unlike those who leave. The number of inhabitants in the Stockholm region is approximately 2.2 million and is estimated to amount to 2.6 million by 2030. By 2030, according to RUFS, 16,000 homes will be built annually (Ibid, p. 11).
The focus on new housing construction is on rental properties with reasonable rents. 140,000 apartments are the target in the long term until 2030. 40,000 are the target in the short term and up to the year 2020. Different committees and companies in the city therefore require cooperation. The purpose of the land policy is to build housing at a reasonable cost in accordance with guidelines for land allocation developed by the city. By encouraging more actors to build, the market should be put in competition. The number of rental rights will be increased at the same time as more types of different types of housing will be created. Of the total number of dwellings being built, 50% will be rental. Construction costs should be low, and groups should be prioritized such as students, young people and others outside the housing market. 5% of the projects shall be residents in disability care and social psychiatry, so-called long-term care. The number of places for the elderly will be secured until 2040. Special attention is paid to the housing supply for new arrivals, which facilitates this group to enter the society (Ibid, p. 8).
6.2.1.4 The municipality's tools
SHIS, the foundation for social housing in Stockholm works with housing for vulnerable groups. There is a housing agency that gives priority to the neediest. For young people and students, the housing office is a queue time. Collaborations will take place between the committees for housing for people with disabilities and special needs. Priority groups are newly arrived and unaccompanied refugee children (Ibid, p. 14).
The municipality has 3 public housing companies, Familjebostäder, Stockholmshem and Svenska Bostäder. They will contribute to housing supply by building and managing good housing that can be sought by all Stockholmers. The “Stockholmshus” project as a goal with housing for reasonable rents is created through the city's housing companies (Ibid).
"The city's housing companies must give priority to the construction of rental housing that young people, students and other groups with a weak position in the housing market can afford to demand".
In order to reduce homelessness, the public housing companies have an important role to play in creating the conditions for achieving the goals. It is about securing people's situations from unsafe housing. The city's goal is to arrange 500 new apartments annually through so-called trial and training apartments and Housing First apartments. Temporary housing is an example of how new arrivals can access accommodation. At the same time, good living environments will be created for all Stockholmers. "A secure and fair housing market is based on correct rental conditions". It is not only landlords but also tenants that will contribute to a "well-functioning housing market". Efforts
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should be made to counteract incorrect conditions in rents in the housing market. It is a responsibility that the housing companies have (Ibid).
The comprehensive plan “The walking city” was adopted in 2010 and is a governing document. Work is also in progress on area regulations and detailed planning. (Ibid, p. 17).
Because of the change in the world that has occurred, there is a proposal for a new comprehensive plan. There have been major changes in the population increase. Clearer strategies are needed to achieve the goals for the housing needs (Ibid, p. 18).
Thereafter, a new comprehensive plan with the vision “A city for everyone” was adopted and gained legal force in 2018 (Stockholm stad 2018).
Because of the ownership of large land areas, they can allocate areas to different speculators before planning new construction. 50% tenant-owned apartments and 50% rental apartments including student housing are the targets for the land allocation housing (Stockholms stad 2017, p. 18).
The municipality's companies have lowered income requirements for the residents. New support from the support has also been introduced, which facilitates the supply. (Ibid, p. 26).
6.2.1.5 The different groups
The guidelines for housing supply specify following groups in the housing market (Ibid, pp.24-43).
x Youths and young adults x Students x Elderly x People with disabilities x Newly arrived, unaccompanied children and young people x Homeless x People exposed to violence in close relationship
6.2.1.6 The future housing needs and challenges
The City of Stockholm believes that there are good conditions for meeting the high demand for housing. In addition to all new construction, existing homes must also be utilized as efficiently as possible. (Ibid, p. 21).
New forms of housing such as a joint housing ventures (Byggemenskap) where a group of private individuals builds for their own account can be a way to reduce construction costs and thus be able to offer the group aged 18 to 30 years with housing (Ibid, p. 47)
The number of cheap housing is decreasing. It is also due to upcoming renovations which will result in higher rents. Building housing with reasonable rent is particularly challenging to be able to help different groups enter the housing market. The city does not consider itself able to control the possibility of moving chains (Ibid).
It is a prerequisite that other functions in society such as schools and sports venues are secured when housing is built. It is related to housing planning and development (Ibid).
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6.2.2 Sundbyberg municipality
In the municipality of Sundbyberg there are 50,000 inhabitants. It is Sweden's fastest growing municipality and with an area of 9 square kilometres makes it the smallest municipality in Sweden. The city consists of 11 different districts (Sundbybergs stad 2019).
6.2.2.1 The housing supply
The guidelines for housing supply in Sundbyberg municipality which is a governance document was set by the Municipal Council in 2017. The comprehensive plan is a related, governance document (Sundbybergs stad 2017, p. 4).
6.2.2.2 “Sundbyberg grows with you!”
The slogan for the city's vision is "Sundbyberg grows with you!" Living, innovative and together are the central values. The goal is to continue to "promote continued population growth in the city". This includes the housing supply (Ibid, p. 8).
The municipality or city that they also call themselves has six different goals with the housing supply. Firstly, the municipality will contribute to the region's growth by contributing to more housing. Secondly, the municipality will contribute to a varied supply of housing for everyone. This applies to different types of loan forms, sizes and types in both new construction and existing stock. Third, the municipality will contribute to moving chains in the market. The fourth goal is to contribute to more housing for young people and students and housing as an intermediate housing. As a fifth goal, the municipality will contribute to more housing for socially vulnerable groups. And finally, to steer the municipal housing company “Förvaltaren” in the desired direction (Ibid).
There is also an imbalance between the range and the demand of housing in Sundbyberg as well as in other parts of the region. It says something about the public housing company´s “Förvaltarens” queue times for applicants and the extent of the number of vacant apartments. The number of families has previously chosen to leave the municipality to seek for other municipalities with a housing stock among larger apartments. This trend now appears to be reversing as larger apartments are built again (Ibid, p. 12).
Out of 22,000 housing units, approximately 53% contained the number of rental properties in 2015. The remaining were tenant-owner apartments and ownerships. The majority of the housing were multi-dwelling houses and half were small apartments (Ibid).
About 30% of the residents live in “Förvaltarens” housing stock. The stock consists of rented apartments, but after a political decision, they can be converted into tenant-owner apartments. The reason for the transformations is to form a mixed stock which gives the residents a choice (Ibid).
The statistics indicate that the municipality is one of a few in Sweden that builds most housing per inhabitant. 15,000 homes are included in new construction by the year 2031 (Ibid).
In the housing supply, the region plays an important role. Municipal boundaries are not perceived in the housing market as the municipality is strategically located in the Stockholm region (Ibid, p. 8).
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6.2.2.3 National, regional and municipal goals
The goal of the government is to build at least 250,000 new homes by 2020 throughout the country (Ibid, p. 7).
The region's goal is to build 16,000 homes each year, of which 600 are built in Sundbyberg according to the County Administrative Board (Ibid, p. 8).
According to the prognosis, there will be an estimated 77,000 inhabitants by the year 2030 in the city. This is a significant increase in the population. There is a strong demand for housing, and it is planned to build a lot of new constructions (Ibid, p. 5).
6.2.2.4 The municipality's tools
A prerequisite for the municipality to be able to grow at the intended pace, the planning and building permit process needs to be effective. This applies to both the comprehensive plan and the detailed plans. It also requires that developers keep the times that are set (Ibid).
The city can influence the land policy through allocations of land that are regulated in a separate document and which are governing (Ibid).
One of the tools within the housing supply is the public housing company “Förvaltaren”. The municipality can direct the work with housing supply in the intended direction (Ibid).
To assess other services in the community that are linked to housing, demographic analysis is produced. Through a plan for local needs, for instance, schools and elderly housing can be assessed in different areas (Ibid, p. 9).
Collaboration between different actors such as developers, property owners, investors and others are important for the housing supply to meet set goals. Connections to neighbouring municipalities, the region and the County Administrative Board are also an important part of the cooperation (Ibid).
Contact with other actors is also important for the city's development. This applies to both current and future residents. Therefore, the work of the organisation must be connected through marketing and communication (Ibid).
The city should analyse the housing market and, in order to assess demand and the future need for housing, business intelligence should be followed up. The economy not only affects the demand for housing in households, but it also affects the actors' opportunity for influence and implementation on the location. It is crucial how national and local housing policy work on issues regarding housing supply. Legislation, changes in lifestyles, technology and science are other factors that have a bearing on the situation in the housing market (Ibid).
6.2.2.5 The different groups
The following special groups are included in the city's housing needs and population (Ibid, pp. 15-20).
x Elderly x People with needs of care or with dementia
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x Elderly people who are not part of ordinary living or special living x Particularly vulnerable people x People with disabilities x People with mental disabilities x Homeless x People with social contracts x Newly arrived x Unaccompanied children x Young people and students
6.2.2.6 The future housing needs and challenges
The inhabitants of the city are mostly young people, which results in fewer elderly people compared to other parts of the region and the country. Approximately 13% are 65 years or older, while about 21% are young people. The number of residents has increased since 2004. In addition to the number of new residents, the city is also growing through the number of more people in each household (Ibid, p. 10).
The city's development of the population is a prognosis based on a construction basis. The number of homes that are assumed to be built is directly linked to the estimated number of inhabitants. The prognosis for the increased population may be incorrect if the assumptions about new construction are incorrect (Ibid).
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6.2.3 Österåker municipality
The number of inhabitants in the municipality of Österåker is about 42,000. However, there is a great increase in visitors during the summers, about twice as much. The municipality with central Åkersberga is located northeast of Stockholm city. The area consists of a varied urban area, countryside and archipelago (Österåkers kommun 2017, p. 7).
6.2.3.1 The housing supply
The plan for housing supply in the municipality was adopted by the municipal Council in 2016 (Ibid, p. 1).
The County Administrative Board, the region and other municipalities have been involved in consultation. Reconciliations have taken place internally in the municipality with several companies and administrations (Ibid 8-9).
The plan for housing supply is a guiding document. The plan is based on the comprehensive plan with its purpose, priorities and time aspects. The plan for housing supply is also closely related to other goals, visions and plans in the municipality. These include budget, investment, population, water and sewage, health care and social services (Ibid, p. 8).
According to the document, the plan for housing supply applies from 2016 to 2025. If necessary, the plan may be revised depending on developments, both national, regional and municipal (Ibid, p. 9).
6.2.3.2 “A world-class archipelago municipality”
There is a development towards a city-like municipality as a huge planning of housing takes place. The new construction consists of both apartments and one- or two-dwelling buildings, but also through a conversion of former holiday homes into permanent housing. The municipality's vision for 2020 is that it will be the county's most attractive archipelago municipality in the world class. Österåker will be the county's most attractive archipelago municipality, which most people choose to move to, live and work, start businesses and visit (Ibid, p. 7).
The municipality is characterized by "faith in the future, diversity and openness" (Ibid, p. 20).
It has been assumed that the move-in will be greater than the move-out and that the number of new-borns is greater than those who pass-away in the municipality. The average age is about 40 years and the group of elderly, people 65 years and over appear to be increasing (Ibid, p. 10).
In 2015, there were approximately 17,000 housing in the municipality. Of these, 70% were one- or two-dwelling buildings. The remaining 30% were apartments, of which about one-third of these were rental properties. However, these percentages are the reverse according to the statistics for housing built in 2015, 70% apartments and 30% detached houses (Ibid, p. 13).
The created housing should meet the needs and demands of different groups. This applies to young, elderly and new arrivals and people with disabilities (Ibid, p. 20).
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The municipality is now developing senior housing for the middle age and extra-care housing for people over 70 years. It is possible to apply for a home service for people in need of care (Ibid, p. 15).
For those who suffer from dementia or with a special need for care, there are long-term care, so- called SÄBO (Särskilt boende). Staff are available 24 hours a day. There are accommodations for shorter and longer periods of time but requires a decision in accordance with SOL. Since 2014, the municipality decided to introduce LOV, the Act on System of Choice in the Public Sector, which means that more players in the market can establish after approval by the municipality. Currently and in the next few years, the long-term care units are assessed to be security in the municipality (Ibid, p. 16).
According to SOL and LSS, there is also the possibility of being granted a long-term care. This applies mainly to people with mental disabilities and to people with special service among adults. At present and in the next 5 years, there is a shortage of housing for this group (Ibid, pp. 16-17).
For a group of people who are referred to the Social Services, the municipality has no responsibility for through the housing supply. This applies to the group of young adults where the placement is completed in a family home, refugee families without an adequate livelihood and people who are exposed to violence in relationships. In some cases, however, the municipality will assist people with support. 17 The need for housing rented by the social services is assessed to be met at this time (Ibid, p. 18).
Furthermore, housing is needed to meet the demand for unaccompanied children refugees. By planning for modular construction, the need for newly arrived must be met (Ibid).
Österåker does not have any own student housing but it seems to be a growing interest among the developers (Ibid).
6.2.3.3 National, regional and municipal goals
"The national goal for housing policy is long-term well-functioning housing markets where consumer demand meets a range of housing that meets the needs" (Ibid, p. 19)
The increase in the population of Österåker is strong. In line with RUFS 2010, it is expected that between 41 and 47,000 inhabitants by 2030 and 50,000 inhabitants by 2024. Furthermore, the comprehensive plan states that an increase of approximately 70-75,000 inhabitants is expected by 2040 (Ibid, p. 10).
According to the region's estimates, the housing demand in the municipality of Österåkers is estimated to 150-350 homes annually. As stated by the municipality's prognosis, 520 new homes are expected per year 2025. Thus, the region's goals are met (Ibid 12-13).
Österåkers municipality is also part of a network called STONO, Stockholm Northeast. The network consists of several municipalities in northern Stockholm with a common vision of planning housing for 100,000 new residents by the year 2050 (Ibid, p. 13).
The prognosis for new housing construction is estimated to around 500 homes per year and a total about 5200 by the year 2025. This corresponds to approximately 3% of the total population in the country. Smaller and area efficient rental properties are housing that are mainly in demand, but also tenant-owner apartments and property rights in various sizes (Ibid, p. 14).
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6.2.3.4 The municipality's tools
Current planning of housing internally within the municipality and cooperation with the region creates the conditions for a sustainable housing supply. Through the municipal planning monopoly, goals and guidelines can be fulfilled, both in terms of needs and demand for housing. It is possible to steer the housing supply against a group such as elderly or students in the detailed plans, however, it is not possible to determine the form of tenure (Ibid, p. 34).
The municipal housing company is called “Armada”. They have a housing stock consisting of approximately 1,600 apartments to be provided to individuals for whom the municipality has a special responsibility. After an assessment by the Social Committee and the Health and Care Committee, the apartments will be arranged for the applicants. In order to be offered an apartment, the applicant must have been in the housing queue for about 2-4 years. About 3500 people are in the queue (Ibid, p. 15).
By cooperating with different administrations and companies, conditions can be created for different groups in the municipality. There are prerequisites for a long-term supply of housing based on both need, demand and supply (Ibid, p. 34).
Through land allocations, the municipality can increase the number of new constructions on the municipality's owned land. The number of allocations appears to increase in time. However, the total owned land area is limited (Ibid).
The municipality should work on arranging housing for social purposes. Through the land development agreement, the municipality can make demands on developers. This applies, for example, to social contracts where the municipality has the right to rent an apartment. This may apply to housing for households who, due to various reasons, cannot access their own housing. The lack of housing is occurring in the municipality, which leads to expensive solutions in the form of temporary usage (Ibid, pp. 34-35).
6.2.3.5 The different groups
Österåker states the following groups in their plan for the housing supply (Ibid, p. 15)
x Elderly x People with disabilities x people with mental disabilities x Special service for adults x People with abuse problems x People with violence in close relationships x Newly arrived x Young people and students
6.2.3.6 The future housing needs and challenges
Several causes that affect the municipality's rate of housing construction. To handle appeals in the planning process affects times for a desired rate of construction. Strict regulations regarding shoreland protection and other demands can limit the construction of housing. The controlled housing market and the economic situation also affect construction as well as various support and
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requirements for repayments. Investments are important regarding infrastructure, water and sewage, schools, culture and leisure (Ibid, p. 33).
The plan must be updated at least once each term of mandate. Changes in legislation, a new comprehensive plan and a new water and sewage plan may also affect upcoming updates. Continued resources are required to achieve the goals for housing supply (Ibid, p. 36).
In order for priorities to be carried out correctly, it is important to continuously work on prognosis for an updated plan for housing supply (Ibid, p. 35).
The developed plan for housing supply is considered both realistic and feasible. Based on the housing needs of the various groups, the plan is expected to produce good results (Ibid).
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7 ANALYSIS
In this part of the analysis, the empirical material is interpreted and compared. 7.1 The regional plan
The fact that the need for housing is greater than what households can, and demand indicates that there is an absence. The different aspects of housing demand cannot always be affected by the region. This applies to the business situations as well as geographical movements and financing conditions. Here, the region is also asking for support. The region makes clear that there are no methods for understanding the real housing need and statistics for the existing range. This is the same statement as Boverket. When the region states that the municipalities should plan for a larger number of housing than is reported, it clarifies a larger margin of error. This can only be interpreted due to a high level of uncertainty in the housing market. The choice of the various groups that are reported in the regional plan appears to be partly derived from Boverket. however, not all groups are listed. The regional plan describes cooperation between the regions to jointly impose demands on the state. This indicates that cooperation at several different levels of housing supply planning is required. This is also in line with housing researcher Anna Granath Hansson's statement. Regarding the fact that the plan also reports sub-goals, it turns out that this applies to different time perspectives when the conditions in the planning may change. Access to housing must be secured for everyone. It cannot mean anything but that all groups are included here. But the fact that the plan itself raises the question of how housing can be catered for everyone shows that more knowledge is needed, not only among various actors in the construction industry, but also authorities such as the region.
7.2 The municipalities' guidelines
7.2.1 Stockholm
Regarding that the municipality expresses its work in both the short and the long term shows that issues relating to housing supply are dealt with in the process during different stages of planning. It is clear from the guidelines that housing should be given to both those who move in and already reside in the municipality. It is considered to apply to all groups in the municipality. What is meant by a reasonable rent is not revealed. It can be assumed that it refers to a value in the rental market. The priorities for increased new housing construction of rental apartments seem to be the right way to go to achieve a balance between the different types of housing, which also interacts with previous research such as Boverket, The County Administrative Board and the housing researchers Anna Granath Hansson and Martin Grander. The fact that the administrative boundaries of the municipalities play a minor role shows that planning and collaboration takes place between the municipalities. Due to the foundation that exists in Stockholm for vulnerable groups, it is clarified that work is carried out and which can be a guide for other municipalities to deal with the more urgent situation. With the city's three different public housing companies, the chances for each individual to gain access to a contract in the ordinary housing market increase. Stockholm is dependent on government decisions regarding the utilization of the existing housing stock. Otherwise, the municipality does not have the same conditions to meet the high demand for housing. One way to facilitate people with financial constraints is when the municipality lowers income requirements for the residents.
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7.2.2 Sundbyberg
According to statistics, the municipality is Sweden's fastest growing with its population, which shows the challenges with its housing supply. The various groups presented in the guidelines show that everyone in the housing market should be included. Through their tools, they take the direction of increased growth to achieve their goals. In Sundbyberg, it is stated that the municipal boundaries have less significance for the inhabitants because of the localization of the municipality. It is not only for the municipality that the boundaries have less significance but also for others in society. For the housing supply to function in practice, it is necessary that both the comprehensive plan and the detailed plans are constantly updated. By setting requirements on developers, more homes can be secured during the right period. And by identifying different actors both within the construction industry and outside, it shows an increased cooperation and willingness to achieve the goals. Keeping up to date with both the business intelligence, changes in behaviour and engineering shows how broad the issue of housing supply is. The challenges with the housing supply of the different groups differ considerably, partly with regard to the different ages. The need for the development of new methods is confirmed when the municipality states that the increased population can differ materially with the prognosis produced. This has been argued both by Boverket and the region of Stockholm. The fact that there is an imbalance in the housing market even in Sundbyberg reinforces the evidence of the housing shortage in the country. Investing in small apartments while there is a lack of large apartments can be a further challenge for the municipality that differs from others. Since the housing stock of rental properties already amounts to about 50 %, the balance seems to be in the form of tenure. But then allowing the residents to buy their apartments through a housing agency can create a new imbalance in the future. This can stand in conflict with both the housing researcher’s arguments and the authority’s goals.
7.2.3 Österåker
Given that the guidelines for housing supply must be decided at each term of mandate, it is not described why the municipality of Österåkers has chosen a 10-year period for its plan. With Österåker's vision of being a world-class archipelago municipality, it can be assumed to contribute to the region's vision as “Europe's most attractive metropolitan region”. The housing supply plan is stated to be guiding. How the document can be governing for future housing supply is not described more than that has links to other important documents. Describing how more neighbouring municipalities work closely with a common vision also strengthens the collaboration. The increased construction of new apartments compared to one- or two-dwelling buildings provides the municipality with good conditions to balance the housing market. All the groups listed do not correspond with the groups specified by Boverket and the regional plan. This may be due to the fact that the groups are not located in the municipality or that the municipality lacks the information as stated earlier by the County administration board. This also shows that the group with a weak position in the market is not always reported as Boverket states. The guidelines for housing supply also describe how private actors participate in and mediate housing, which strengthens the number of homes on the market for different groups. It is stated that the need for housing for some of the specified groups must be secured. The municipality also explains how this should be done. While building temporary solutions, it should be sustainable in the long term. The municipality expresses a certain criticism of laws and regulations, which they believe affects housing supply. It is clarified that it is not possible to control the form of tenure in the detail plans, but rather in land development agreements and land allocations. It shows how much municipalities can control the supply of housing when they own their own land.
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8 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In this part of the thesis, the answers to the research questions are presented and discussed.
x Why is there a shortage of housing for this group?
The reason why there is a shortage of housing for this group is not just one. The increasing population means that competition for each dwelling is created. This applies to both urbanisation and increased numbers in families. The number of homes does not correspond to the population. The reasons for the shortage are considered above all to limited new construction and a weak mobility in the older housing stock. Here, once again, the movement chains that have been pointed out to play an important role. There has been a belief that by building new housing, the problem will be solved, which is not the case when the problem of housing shortage for many of the different groups remains. The extent of the housing shortage for a group of people outside the ordinary housing market is unclear. The reasons may also be due to the lack of cheap rental properties. Construction costs also affect the price. It is not always expressed for whom it is actually built for, although all groups should be included. Municipalities have different conditions and different challenges. This indicates that the supply of housing for the group can differ considerably.
x What opportunities do municipalities have for supplying housing?
The municipalities have different tools that can be used for housing supply. The tools available at the municipalities are used in different ways. This also indicates that the municipalities have different conditions for housing supply. The extent to which these are used in practice also differs. The municipalities do not always mention all the tools that may still be available and used. Municipal self- government with the planning monopoly has a significant impact on housing supply. If the planning of the municipalities changed to a new arena, the housing market could be significantly affected. Comprehensive plans and detailed plans also play a vital role in planning to create the conditions for new housing. When municipalities own their land and have access to at least one public housing company, the chances increase significantly for the conditions for creating more housing. However, queuing times can affect the group to get a home. The municipal rental guarantees also seem to be a tool that can help more people. Private actors in the housing market play an important role for the coming housing for the various groups, as the municipality rarely builds housing by themselves.
x Do municipalities have the means necessary to meet the need for housing supply for this group?
Those municipalities that do not succeed in supplying housing for the group must get the help they need from other authorities and actors who are responsible. The municipalities should be supported by the regions so that they know what goals and visions are to be met. This shows that the role and responsibility of the regions is important in this context. The County Administrative Board also has an important responsibility in ensuring that the municipalities carry out their work in accordance with the law. The municipalities can be interpreted to need support from the state when it comes to housing shortages as they do not seem to be able to solve it completely on their own or with the help of the regions. Those municipalities in the country that have not adopted guidelines for housing supply can neither follow the regions' goals and vision, nor the Housing Supply Act.
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x How do the regional visions and goals correspond to the municipality's planning for the housing supply?
The regional goals and visions are several and reflect more than housing supply. Many areas are closely related to the subject and it is not always possible to draw a line. That the municipalities take into account the regional goals and visions can be read from the guidelines. However, whether these are met at present and for the years to come is different from each municipality and is also an assessment issue. The need for the number of housing for each municipality seems to be difficult to assess as prognosis change. Geographic housing movements are often based on assumptions that are also reported in the Housing Market Survey prepared by Boverket. Therefore, it is not possible to ascertain the exact number and the gap between the number of housing that there is a need for can therefore differ. This is about numbers that this thesis has not intended to compare. Since municipalities in some cases base their guidelines from work on comprehensive plans, it is unclear how housing supply differs in the various planning stages. Thus, there may be a risk that the questions will be postponed to later parts in the planning process. The municipalities seem to look at the groups where there is a need for housing. But it is not always the group that is considered more vulnerable is mentioned. Even where there is a need for housing, housing for this group cannot always be secured in the short term, but only with conditions for the longer term.
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9 CONCLUSIONS
This conclusion is explained by what appeared in the discussion. The main points of the thesis are also summarized here.
The aim of the thesis has been to investigate how planning is carried out for the group of housing applicants who are outside the ordinary housing market for various reasons, mainly due to limitations in the private economy and/or due to social aspects. To understand why there is a shortage of housing for this group, it has been examined how the state, regions and municipalities work.
Based on spatial planning according to the PBL, the Planning and Building Act, it turns out that the municipalities have a great responsibility for housing supply but also the regions and the state. The municipality's guidelines for housing supply are based, among other things, on analyses of the housing market, housing market surveys and statistics. National and regional goals and visions are implemented in the guidelines in accordance with the BFL, Housing Supply Act, where also different groups in the housing market shall be specified.
Housing shortage is a prevalent problem in Sweden. The supply of housing does not meet the demand, which makes it especially difficult for the group outside the ordinary housing market. The need for housing must be met in a long-term perspective.
Case studies have examined the regional development plan for Stockholm (RUFS 2050) with its visions and goals. The municipality's guidelines for housing supply have also been examined in 3 different municipalities in the Stockholm region, which have subsequently been analysed. Visions and goals in the regional development plan show that it must be planned and built for different groups in the housing market according to their needs. The municipalities have different tools for housing supply that are also used in several ways. In order for municipalities to have the conditions to succeed in housing supply, the regions should receive more support from the state to guide the municipalities in the right direction. This indicates that the supply of housing for the different groups can differ considerably. The extent of the housing shortage for this group is unclear. Previous research also shows that there are no methods for understanding the real housing need and statistics for the existing range. Due to the lack of tools, it is difficult to assess the need and how large this group is. Therefore, it is also difficult to know how much more resources and that more support to the municipalities is needed. It also confirms that there are deficiencies in the system of housing supply that should be addressed.
Taking into account the new law proposed in an investigation (A joint housing supply responsibility (SOU 2018: 35), the municipalities will need to report in more detail how housing supply is to be met for the various groups. The new Act on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (2018: 1197), which was conducted on 1 January 2020 in Sweden, may also provide increased support for housing supply for the group.
During the investigation of the thesis, it has been found that a new inquiry has been decided on a social housing policy (A socially sustainable housing supply, Dir. 2020: 53). This occurred on May 7, 2020. The Government considers that special efforts are needed to facilitate entry into the ordinary housing market. The municipal utilities will analyse as well as several other previous conditions. A housing market that is accessible to all must be ensured.
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