The government publishes new lists of parallel communities, unstable residential areas, and transition zones.
The Ministry of the Interior, Housing and the Elderly published today, Friday, the new annual list of parallel communities (ghetto) and unstable residential areas (Udsatte boligområder).
For the first time in 13 years, the Mjølnerparken residential area in Nørrebro, Copenhagen, is no longer on the government's list of parallel communities, formerly known as the ghetto list. One of the criteria for classifying a residential area as a "parallel community" is a minimum population of 1,000. Since Mjølnerparken's population is currently below this threshold, it has been removed from the list, despite the continued presence of residents with a high number of convicted criminals and low levels of education and income. Conversely, the number of residential areas on the parallel communities list (ghetto list) has increased, according to the new lists of vulnerable residential areas and parallel communities published by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Housing and the Elderly on Friday. Mjølnerparken still needs to continue implementing its development plan and reduce the proportion of single-family homes relative to the total number of homes in the area.
According to the ministry, the decrease in the population of Mjølnerparken may be due to the fact that the area is in the process of a plan under which the share of family homes must be reduced to 40% out of the total number of homes in the area by 2030.
parallel society
It is understood that a parallel society means a public residential area with at least 1000 residents, where the proportion of immigrants and people of non-Western descent exceeds 50%, and where at least two of the following four criteria are met:
- The proportion of the population aged 18 to 64 who are not in the labor market or education exceeds 40%, calculated as an average over the past two years.
- The proportion of the population convicted of violating criminal law, gun law, or intoxicants law is at least three times the national average calculated as an average over the past two years.
- The proportion of the population aged between 30 and 59 who have only received primary education exceeds 60%.
- The average gross income of taxpayers aged 15-64 in the region (excluding education seekers) is 55% lower than the average gross income for the same group in the region.
(Source: Ministry of Social Affairs, Housing and Elderly)
The following is the new residential list of residential areas classified as parallel community areas (ghettos):
Parallelsamfundsområder (Parallel Societies (Ghetto:
- Tåstrupgård, Høje-Taastrup
- Vejleåparken, Ishøj (ny)
- Askerød, Greve
- Motalavej, Slagelse (ny)
- Vollsmose, Odense
- New/Søstjernevej med Flere, Sønderborg
- Stengårdsvej, Esbjerg
- Sundparken, Horsens
- Skovvejen/Skovparken, Kolding
- Bispehaven, Aarhus
- Skovgårdsparken, Aarhus (ny)
- Gellerupparken/Toveshøj, Aarhus
Unstable residential areas:
- Tåstrupgård, Høje-Taastrup
- Vejleåparken, Ishøj (ny)
- Nivåhøj, Fredensborg (ny)
- Askerød, Greve
- Motalavej, Slagelse (ny)
- Vængerne, Lolland (ny)
- Vollsmose, Odense
- Byparken/Skovparken, Svendborg
- New/Søstjernevej med Flere, Sønderborg
- Place/Syrenparken, Esbjerg
- Stengårdsvej, Esbjerg
- Hedelundgårdparken, Esbjerg
- Sundparken, Horsens
- Skovvejen/Skovparken, Kolding
- Glarbjergvej-området, Randers
- Gammel Jennumparken, Randers
- Bispehaven, Aarhus
- Skovgårdsparken, Aarhus (ny)
- Gellerupparken/Toveshøj, Aarhus
According to the source, when a residential area is on the parallel communities list for five years, it is defined in the legislation as a “transition zone,” which was previously defined as “hard ghetto areas,” making it follow a policy called “flexible evacuation,” which gives priority to housing applicants in education and work to reduce the population with low education and low income.
omdannelsesområderne conversion zones
- Tåstrupgård, Høje-Taastrup
- New/Søstjernevej med Flere, Sønderborg
- Stengårdsvej, Esbjerg
- Sundparken, Horsens
- Skovvejen/Skovparken, Kolding
- Bispehaven, Aarhus
- Gellerupparken/Toveshøj, Aarhus
- Vollsmose, Odense
Many parallel communities and vulnerable residential areas
While Mjølnerparken has left the list, several other residential areas have been added, with there now being 12 parallel community areas compared to 10 last year.
The Vejleåparken area in Ishøj municipality, Skovgårdsparken in Aarhus municipality, and Motalavej in Slagelse municipality have been included in the list.
The number of unstable residential areas is also increasing, now reaching 19 compared to 17 last year, and while three areas left the list, five new areas were added to the list.
What is an unstable residential area?
The list of unstable residential areas includes public residential areas with a population of at least 1000 residents, where at least two of the following four criteria are met:
- The proportion of the population aged 18 to 64 who are not in the labor market or education exceeds 40%, calculated as an average over the past two years.
- The proportion of the population convicted of violating criminal law, gun law, or intoxicating substance law is at least three times the national average calculated as an average over the past two years.
- The proportion of the population aged between 30 and 59 who have only received primary education exceeds 60%.
- The average gross income of taxpayers aged 15-64 in the region (excluding education seekers) is 55% lower than the average gross income for the same group in the region.
Source: Ministry of Social Housing and Elderly Affairs
The European Court of Justice is considering a case brought by residents of Mjølnerparken against the state for discrimination.
According to TV2, residents of Mjølnerparken have criticized the development plan, which was supposed to remove the area from the ghetto list, over the past few years. This includes the decision to sell two of the four residential complexes in the area to the real estate company NREP. A number of residents chose to file a lawsuit against what was then called the Ministry of the Interior and Housing, believing that the development plan in the 2018 Ghetto Act discriminated against them on the basis of their ethnicity. As a result of the plan, many residents were forced to leave the area where they had lived for many years. Last year, the Eastern High Court decided to refer the case to the European Court of Justice against the Ministry of the Interior and Housing, where a decision is expected in 2024. After that, the case will return to the Danish court.
