Homeless in Uppsala: Acute homelessness has almost doubled in four years
The number of people experiencing acute homelessness in Uppsala, Sweden, has increased from 57 to 101. The housing crisis, high rents and lack of social infrastructure are burdening the entire city.
Homelessness is changing the face of one of Sweden's most important cities
Uppsala, Sweden's historic university city, is facing a social crisis that is becoming increasingly visible on its streets.
Within four years, the number of people in a situation acute homelessness increased from 57 to 101. These include people staying in emergency shelters, temporary hostels or protected structures, but also those forced to sleep in public spaces, tents or cars.
The increase is approaching 77% and essentially means that the number of those without stable housing has almost doubled between 2022 and 2026.
A crucial clarification is needed, however. The total number of registered homelessness in Uppsala did not double. On the contrary, it decreased from 854 to 726 households. What has increased dramatically is its most extreme and dangerous form: people who are literally without a secure home.
"Every day is a struggle for survival"
The testimonies of people living on the streets reveal a harsh and uncertain daily life.
Without a stable place to sleep, personal safety, the ability to wash their hands, and the ability to store their personal belongings, every day becomes a struggle for survival.
Of particular concern is the emergence of new social groups among the homeless. Local organizations report that their structures are now receiving more elderly people, young women, students and people who until recently had a job or a home.
More than 100 people visit Mikaelsgården, the open center of Uppsala Stadsmission, every day, looking for food, a warm place, showers, clean clothes and help with their communication with public services.
The housing crisis is also putting pressure on residents
The increase in acute homelessness is not an isolated social phenomenon. It is linked to the general housing pressure faced by the residents of Uppsala.
High rents, a lack of affordable housing and limited construction activity are making it difficult for more and more households. According to Uppsala County Council, many residents are considering moving within the next two years, due to high housing costs or overcrowding in small apartments.
To meet the region's needs, the construction of approximately 3.000 new homes is required annually until 2033. In 2025, only 1.592 homes were delivered, while for 2026 the forecast is limited to approximately 1.150. Uppsala Municipality alone needs approximately 1.000 new homes each year.
This means that competition for affordable housing is getting tougher. Young people, students, low-income families and the elderly are being asked to allocate an increasing portion of their income to rent.
When a household loses its job, faces a health problem, or accumulates debt, the distance between a normal life and the loss of its home can become dangerously small.
The problems faced by neighborhoods
The presence of more people in squares, stations, building entrances and other public spaces also creates pressure on the daily lives of residents.
Citizens are increasingly confronted with people who need immediate psychiatric, medical or social assistance. Local services are called upon to respond to incidents of people sleeping rough, experiencing addiction problems or being in a state of intense mental distress.
The situation causes insecurity among some residents and places a burden on cleaning services, the police, hospitals and social structures. However, homelessness should not be automatically equated with crime.
Most homeless people are themselves vulnerable individuals, at increased risk of becoming victims of violence, theft, exploitation or abuse.
The real problem for neighborhoods is not just that homeless people are becoming more visible. It's that the city doesn't have enough space and mechanisms to provide them with stable housing, care, and rehabilitation in a timely manner.
Elderly people, women and people with health problems
Agencies that work with the homeless on a daily basis point out that the social composition of the population is changing.
It is no longer just people dealing with chronic addiction. People without a stable home include the elderly, young women, people with disabilities, people with mental health problems, and victims of domestic violence.
The Regional Administration recognizes that people with disabilities, mental illness, addiction or experience of violence face a greater risk of exclusion from the housing market. Evictions have also increased since 2022, while the financial margins of many families have been limited.
The Municipality strengthens interventions
Uppsala Municipality has developed teams of social workers who go out into the streets and look for people in a state of acute homelessness.
These groups try to build a relationship of trust, inform the homeless about their rights, and connect them with health, addiction, and temporary housing services.
Women living on the streets are a special priority group, as they are more at risk of sexual violence and exploitation. The Municipality also implements the “Housing First” program, through which people with long-term homelessness experience first acquire their own home and then receive the necessary social and therapeutic support.
However, social actors themselves admit that existing interventions are not sufficient to halt the increase in acute homelessness.
There are also fears that official figures do not capture the full extent of the problem. People who are temporarily housed in friends' homes, sleeping in warehouses or constantly moving from area to area may remain invisible to authorities.
A new structure that is not yet completed
Mikaelsgården has been a reference point for the socially excluded in Uppsala for almost two decades.
The old facility was demolished and plans are underway to build a new center, with dining, hygiene, laundry, and individual meeting spaces. Until the project is completed, operations are temporarily continuing at the St. Michael's Church.
The construction is based on donations. The funding goal is 38 million Swedish kronor, while 29,5 million has been raised. The fact that such a basic social infrastructure is largely dependent on private donations raises questions about the adequacy of public funding.
The other image of prosperous Sweden
Sweden is internationally promoted as a country with an organized welfare state, security, and a high standard of living.
The image of people sleeping in stations, cars and public spaces in Uppsala, however, reveals a different reality.
Economic development and social structures are not enough when the cost of housing increases faster than incomes and when the most vulnerable citizens are lost among bureaucracy, waiting lines and the lack of suitable apartments.
Homelessness is not just the problem of the person sleeping on the street. It is the problem of the entire city.
It affects social cohesion, security, public health and the daily lives of residents. And the longer the provision of stable housing and comprehensive support is delayed, the greater the human and financial cost.
Uppsala now faces a difficult question: will it continue to manage homelessness as a temporary emergency, or will it invest in permanent housing and prevention before even more people are driven onto the streets?
Πηγές
SVT Nyheter Uppsala – Research on the sharp increase in acute homelessness
Uppsala Municipality – Homelessness policy
Uppsala County Administrative Board – Housing Market Analysis 2026
Uppsala City Council – Mikaelsgården and social support
Greek News & Radio FL
