A new law is proposed to give municipalities the opportunity to charge a fee to property owners who do not take responsibility for the residential environment to create safer areas.
This can involve a range of things, such as lighting, removing obstructive shrubbery, and various events, as well as collaboration with the police and social services.
Such collaboration takes place today on a voluntary basis and will not be affected by the proposal, according to the government's investigator Olle Lundin.
Fee for "free riders"
First and foremost, property owners who take responsibility according to the proposal will be able to join forces and charge a fee to so-called "free riders", i.e. property owners who do not participate in the collaboration but still benefit from it.
If no property owners are interested and the municipality believes there is a need for collaboration, then the municipality can initiate it and force property owners to participate, says Lundin at a press conference.
The investigator does not propose what a reasonable fee should be for those who refuse, but it will – if the law becomes a reality – be a matter for the courts.
According to Infrastructure and Housing Minister Andreas Carlson, the proposal is part of the Tidö Agreement's work against gang crime.
More people in Sweden should be able to feel safe in their neighborhoods and in their own residential area, he says.
The industry is critical
The industry organization Fastighetsägarna is, however, very critical of the proposal and calls it a new tax on property owners. Anna Thureson, a business policy expert, believes it risks the voluntary model.
It will become less attractive to invest in, build, and manage rental apartments, especially in vulnerable areas, she says.
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR) writes in a press release that it would be better to "promote voluntary collaboration rather than resorting to new coercive legislation".
Investigator Olle Lundell says he understands that an industry organization is against fees – but means that many property owners also welcome the proposal.
If you want to solve all this on a voluntary basis, that's great. But that's not what's happening, he says.
The investigation into measures for strengthened safety in the built environment proposes four things.
A legislative proposal to enable property owners and municipalities to introduce a fee for property owners who do not contribute to area collaboration.
To establish a national knowledge center for how safety-creating and crime-preventing measures are best implemented. This will be done at a university.
To investigate improved supervision in the built environment to address, for example, property owners who do not take care of their properties and let them deteriorate.
To investigate whether a permit is needed to charge rent.
The investigation will now be sent out for consultation.
Source: The investigation into measures for strengthened safety in the built environment
