Ghetto (Denmark)

A particularly vulnerable public housing area (Danish: Særligt udsat alment boligområde) is a district in Denmark with social problems, and which usually has a majority population of non-Western ethnicities.[1][2] Such areas are often referred to in Danish as "ghettos",[3] and an annual "ghetto list" (ghettolisten) has been published by the Danish Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing since 2010.[4][5]

Residents at Mjølnerparken in Copenhagen taking part in a project to plant fruit bushes and herbs.

Government response

In March 2018, the government of Denmark presented an action plan with 22 proposals where the Denmark would be rid of the ghettoes by 2030. Among the suggestions were funds of 12 billion DKK to have some districts demolished and others redeveloped.[10] Regulations would change to facilitate evictions of criminals from their housing in the ghettoes.[10] The plan was accepted by the Danish parliament in May 2018.[11] On the same occasion, the criteria for list inclusion were changed.[7]

Before children in ghettoes start school, they will undergo a Danish language test and be offered language training before the school starts.[9]

Public housing

The share of public housing in ghetto areas would be reduced to a maximum of 40% in districts that had been on the ghetto list for 4 consecutive years. Consequently, 9 buildings with 600 apartments in the Gellerup district and 3 buildings with 318 in the Bispehaven district of Aarhus are to be demolished, displacing 1,000 families.[12] In their stead, 2000 homes for ownership and 657 business properties are planned to be built.[13]

All meetings of housing associations are to be held in Danish, even if some housing association board members do not speak the language.[11]

Moving restrictions

Convicted criminals and people on public welfare would face restrictions on moving to areas on the list.[11]

Name change

In June 2019 a new social democratic government was formed in Denmark, with Kaare Dybvad becoming housing minister. Dybvad said that official use of the word "ghetto" in reference to marginalized areas is "derogatory", and he wanted to put an end to political use of the word in order to avoid stigmatizing the areas.[14][15]

See also

References
  1. "UDSATTE BOLIGOMRÅDER – DE NÆSTE SKRIDT" (PDF). ft.dk. The Immigration and Integration Affairs Committee of the Danish Parliament. May 2013.
  2. "Almene boliger – beboersammensætning, sundhed og beskæftigelse" (PDF). kl.dk. "Local Government Denmark". (Retrieved 3 July 2019)
  3. "Hvad betyder ghetto egentlig?". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  4. "Her er den nye ghettoliste: Rekordfå ghettoområder i Danmark". www.b.dk (in Danish). 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  5. "I Danmarks fjerde største by har man ingen ghetto: Bydel i Aalborg har fået stort løft". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2019-05-26.
  6. "Ghettolisten 2017 - Transportministeriet". www.trm.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  7. "Disse boligområder er nu på ghettolisten". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  8. Ahlmann-Jensen, Camilla (22 May 2019). "To partier er sprunget fra Vollsmose-planen: - Den bygger på tvangsflytning af uskyldige mennesker". Fyens Stiftstidende. Odense.
  9. "Flertal forbyder kontanthjælpsmodtagere at flytte i ghettoer". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  10. "Ny plan mod ghettoer". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  11. "Bredt flertal laver ghettoaftale". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  12. "1000 familier i Aarhus skal flytte på grund af ghettoplan". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  13. "1000 familier i Aarhus skal flytte på grund af ghettoplan". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  14. Thelocal.dk. Denmark's housing minister wants to scrap 'ghetto' label for underprivileged areas. Retrieved 5 April 2020
  15. DR. Ny boligminister vil undgå ordet 'ghetto'. (in Danish) Retrieved 6 April 2020
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