ABSTRACT
Sweden as a welfare state has historically been considered strong, with an ambitious housing policy. However, since the early 1990s there has been a decrease in housing subsidies and a rolling back of the welfare state (Birgersson 2009). These changes have been associated with rising house prices and costs, which have worsened young adults’ chances on the housing market. This chapter examines the effects of housing on the lives of young Swedish people, with the aim of providing an overall picture of young people's housing situation in Sweden. The current housing situation and future housing expectations of young people 20–27 years old living in Sweden are analysed and discussed. The difficulties and obstacles facing young people are described and the mechanisms leading to marginalization and exclusion from the housing market are identified. The topic of exclusion is dealt with by studying a group of marginalized young people receiving social welfare benefits. The chapter concludes with a discussion on various proposed solutions which could help to improve the situation of young people in the housing market.
