Housing Crisis in Dortmund: Between Homelessness, Refugees, and Financial Pressure

Housing Crisis in Dortmund: Between Homelessness, Refugees, and Financial Pressure

Dortmund is a city in motion. Challenges in social and housing policy are growing, especially due to the refugee movements from Ukraine, the integration of displaced people, and the increasing housing shortages among its own residents. In March 2026, decisions were made that show how the city is dealing with these problems—and where it is reaching its limits.

Housing Crisis and Homelessness: Everyday Challenges

The number of homeless people in Dortmund is rising—mainly due to increasing rents and the lack of housing supply. In March 2026, a package of measures was adopted to create urgently needed housing capacity and ensure the safety of existing accommodations.

A key focus was placed on the Wichernhaus, a shelter for the homeless, which, due to the high number of guests (4,500 per month), requires enhanced security measures. An additional security service was approved to reduce conflicts and stabilize day stays. In addition, the Nachtcafé am Schwanenwall (Night Café at Schwanenwall) was highlighted. Since August 2024, it has offered an alternative to sleeping in public spaces, providing free meals, hygiene facilities, and social support.

Factions such as Volt and Vielfalt also called for taxi permits to be extended to homeless people who are not severely disabled, in order to facilitate access to mobile support—especially for the return journey from the overnight shelter at the zoo.

Refugee Integration: Courses in Danger

In March 2026, it was decided to reject the cancellation of integration courses by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior. Approximately 130,000 people, including Ukrainians, EU citizens, and tolerated persons, would have been affected by the suspension of these courses. Dortmund supports integration through education and language training to enable long-term participation.

In addition, a status report on the council decision of February 22, 2024, was presented, which includes measures for the creation of refugee accommodations through purchases, rentals, and construction projects. The city plans to use existing housing flexibly and create new capacities to accommodate the increasing number of displaced people.

Drug Use and Addiction: A Social Hotspot

Drug use in Dortmund is another topic that was intensively discussed in March 2026. The SPD requested the expansion of the drug consumption room and the consideration of new locations in social hotspots such as the Rheinische Straße. The goal is to ensure consumption in safe spaces and at the same time enable access to medical and social support.

The expansion of personnel capacity in the health department was also discussed to meet the increasing demands of the public health service. Dortmund is currently developing a concept for the sustainable expansion of the public health service to secure preventive structures—even in times of tight budgets.

Financing of Social Administration: Rising Costs, Limited Resources

The financing of social administration is a central point in the current discussion. The processing time for nursing home expense applications averages 6–7 months, leading to arrears of up to 500 million euros. The administration is being asked to optimize processes, and a digital system for recording processing times is under development.

The financing of social benefits is also becoming increasingly critical. The city of Dortmund has a refinancing need of a total of 1.521 billion euros for liquidity and investment loans by 2028. As early as 2024, around 444 million euros must be refinanced. The increasing social benefits, particularly in the areas of old-age poverty and care, are increasingly straining the budget.

Conclusion: A City in Transition

Dortmund is facing a wide range of challenges in the areas of social and housing policy. The city is trying to respond to the growing housing crisis with measures such as the night café, the drug consumption room, and the securing of refugee accommodations. At the same time, financial resources must be used more carefully than ever to stabilize social structures in the long term.

What remains clear is this: without a clear strategy, financial planning, and political will, Dortmund will not be able to tackle the housing crisis and the rising social demands on its own. The coming months will show whether the city is capable of overcoming these challenges with creativity and political determination.