Councils in North Sweden fail to house refugees
People granted refugee status are supposed to be housed by the local municipality in Sweden, but in the northern county of Västerbotten only one council has lived up to its promise.
“It’s serious. Västerbotten must take its own responsibility, just like all other counties in Sweden, not least because we need people for this county, but also out of solidarity,” said Gabriella Strååt, head of integration development at the county council.
There are 1,400 refugees currently in Migration Board housing in Västerbotten. About a quarter of them should move out after being granted refugee status, to make way for new asylum seekers from places like Syria.
Only the municipality of Lycksele has managed to live up to, and exceed, its promise, housing 140 percent of its share. For the area of Sorsele that figure is just five percent.
