Housing Crisis and Social Security in Cologne – Focus on January 2026

Housing Shortage and Winter Aid: Cologne Responds to Acute Emergencies

In January 2026, the city of Cologne was forced to react to several social crises at once. The cold weather, snowstorms, and the associated life-threatening conditions for homeless people led to an emergency session in the city council. In Dortmund and Düsseldorf, there had already been fatalities, which increased the urgency of action. In Cologne, solutions were discussed to evaluate the emergency shelter on Ostmerheimer Straße, set up warming tents, and better equip cold-weather buses. The goal was to improve coordination between the administration, street workers, and the police to save lives.

Support for Care Associations: Social Support Remains Under Pressure

Another central topic was the funding of care associations in Cologne. These associations take on important mandatory tasks such as recruiting volunteer caregivers and organizing professional care providers. Due to nationwide financial deficits and the new regulations on caregiver compensation starting in 2026, the three active care associations in Cologne were supported with up to 360,000 euros annually. Without this support, the city would have to take on these tasks itself, which would incur significant costs.

The funding was established as a deficit-based grant, as the federal and state governments did not provide sufficient financial resources. The city of Cologne criticized the draft proposal by the Federal Ministry of Justice and calls for better funding of the care landscape.

Queer Politics and Integration: Diversity as a Strategic Task

In January 2026, the City Working Group on Queer Politics was reappointed. Thirteen organizations were appointed to continue work in the field of LSBTIQ* politics. The reappointment followed an extensive selection process, with 28 applications received for six positions. The goal is to strengthen the autonomy and participation of queer life in Cologne.

At the same time, discussions took place on the integration of displaced persons. As of January 2026, over 9,200 displaced people were accommodated in municipal shelters in Cologne, including 1,974 from Ukraine. The city was working on creating school and daycare places for the children and young people of displaced persons, but the capacity for individual integration was reaching its limits.

Outlook: Challenges Remain

The decisions made in January 2026 show that Cologne wants to strengthen social security and integration on multiple levels. The winter aid, support for care associations, and the promotion of queer politics are examples of an active, preventive social policy. Nevertheless, challenges – especially in the areas of housing shortages and the accommodation of displaced persons – remain. The city must continue to rely on flexible solutions to fulfill its social responsibility.