Stockholm Elderly Care Facility Becomes Hotspot for Prostitution and Crime
A former elderly care home in Stockholm has become a center of prostitution and crime after being sold and converted into short-term rentals, raising serious public safety concerns.
- • An elderly care facility in Stockholm was sold and converted into nightly rental apartments, leading to prostitution and drug dealing.
- • Local police estimate at least 1,600 reported sex purchases linked to the site.
- • Stockholm authorities have banned the facility from renting rooms under threat of fines to restore public order.
- • The property was initially used to house over 700 refugees after the 2015 migrant crisis before being sold.
- • Critics highlight poor city planning given the future growing need for elderly care spaces starting 2028.
Key details
An elderly care facility in Stockholm, originally built in 1982 and providing decades of elder care, has been transformed into a hub of illegal activities including prostitution and drug dealing, according to Aftonbladet. The facility was shut down after 30 years, subsequently repurposed to house refugees following the 2015 migrant crisis, accommodating over 700 people in overcrowded conditions. It was then sold to a private owner who began renting apartments on a nightly basis, attracting an influx of tourists but also criminal elements. City safety coordinators and local police have expressed concern about escalating crime and social disorder in the area, estimating at least 1,600 instances of sex purchases linked to the site. In response, Stockholm authorities have enacted new regulations prohibiting the facility from renting rooms in ways that threaten public order, backed by potential fines to enforce compliance. Criticism has been directed at city politicians for the short-sighted sale of the property, especially given the anticipated increase in demand for elderly care spaces starting in 2028. The situation highlights ongoing societal challenges with aging populations and exploitation, heightened by the fact that paying for sex has been illegal in Sweden since 1999, yet remains a significant issue among older men. This troubling transformation underscores the complexities of repurposing social infrastructure without adequate long-term planning or safeguards for public safety and welfare.