Social Housing in Denmark

Social housing is a cornerstone in the Danish welfare society and is accessible for all households. By law, social housing must be rented at cost rents, which are based on historical costs; rents do not respond to market forces. Social housing aims to provide good standard, secure and affordable housing for all. It especially addresses the housing needs of lower-income households as well as new house-holds. This chapter presents how the self-owning Danish non-profit housing associations construct and manage one fifth of the Danish housing stock. Here the tenants’ democracy sets the framework for the individual associations as well as each housing estate. In principle, each estate and the association it belongs to must balance its books. An important feature of the sector is the build-up of a funding system which makes it possible to support the financing of major renovations and energy measures as well as social initiatives in the existing stock.