Copenhagen Social Mayor calls emergency meeting over shelter capacity

Copenhagen Social Mayor Karina Vestergård Madsen has called an emergency meeting with civil society organizations that operate emergency shelters to prepare for the upcoming winter. The move comes after budget negotiations failed to secure additional funding to expand the capacity of the city’s emergency overnight accommodations.

Madsen expressed significant concern regarding the potential for a harsh winter, noting that shelters were pushed to their limits during the previous cold season. The urgency is compounded by data from VIVE, which indicates an increase in the number of homeless individuals in Copenhagen, with 185 more people recorded in the most recent count compared to February.

The proposed budget measures had sought to increase capacity, extend operating hours to include both day and evening shifts, and allow shelters to remain open during summer months. Following the lack of support for these measures in the Budget2027 negotiations, the meeting at City Hall aims to develop a contingency plan to prevent a critical situation for the city's homeless population and street dwellers.