Stockholm City has been trying for over two years to access the police's list of HVB homes with links to criminal actors. The police initially refused to release the list citing secrecy, and the court agreed. However, the law has been changed and Stockholm City received the list today, according to multiple reports.
The police's list included 18 companies running HVB homes whose owners or employees had links to criminality, the police confirmed. Among the company representatives are people suspected of robberies with the Bandidos, employees who paid rent to gang leaders, and HVB homes where life jackets, drugs and ammunition were found, according to SVT's investigation. In a police intelligence report from July 2024, 18 HVB homes were pointed out with links to weapons and violent crimes.
Last year, Swedish municipalities paid over SEK 200 million to companies that run HVB homes and which, according to the police, have links to serious organized crime. According to Alexander Ojanne, the Social and Security Councillor in Stockholm, the majority of the companies on the list are still active. This means that many of these homes continue to receive public funds despite the known criminal connections.
The government reacted strongly when the information became known, according to major media reports. In February 2026, IVO published a report stating that 39 supported accommodation and HVB homes for children and young people had their licenses revoked since September 2024. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference that it must be stopped. Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönwall stated that it is the highest priority for the government that children and young people who need societal care receive safe care with good quality, but new legislation takes time. She added that the government has given IVO an assignment to particularly strengthen the supervision of supported accommodation and HVB homes that receive children and young people, including stronger collaboration between the police and the Economic Crime Authority to take measures for strengthened supervision, where the Swedish Tax Agency also plays a major role. The government has allocated almost half a billion for IVO to be able to conduct a powerful effort to particularly hunt down the criminal actors. She also noted that previous governments should have done more to get to grips with the shortcomings in HVB homes and that children and young people placed outside their own home always have the right to protection and support, which is why it is completely unacceptable that unprofessional actors run HVB homes.
The police's list of HVB homes with criminal connections is covered by secrecy, the police said. The Supreme Administrative Court decided not to grant leave to appeal for Stockholm City's appeal, so the police's list remains secret for Stockholm City, according to research from four sources. This legal obstacle has been a major barrier to municipalities being able to vet placements. However, the law change allowed Stockholm City to receive the list despite the court's decision, resolving the apparent contradiction.
Municipalities are responsible for placing children in HVB homes, according to major media reports. Alexander Ojanne is the Social and Security Councillor in Stockholm and is responsible for ensuring safe placements, according to major media reports. He said at a press conference that the city wanted to know which are these homes and whether they are placing any children there, and it was extremely important not to place children with gang criminals. He also stated that it is absolutely incredible that for two years they have known who these are and have not managed to shut them down. Ojanne added that he does not know if there have been changes in the companies that the police listed, but he hopes to get information about whether there are still criminal connections to the HVB homes. He called the situation a systemic failure when municipalities cannot get necessary information for safe placements, saying it is a betrayal of the taxpayers that they pay money to criminals, but above all a betrayal of the children placed there. Ojanne also noted that this is old information now and it is very unfortunate that it took so long.
Several unknowns remain. The specific HVB homes on the police's list have not been publicly identified, and it is unclear how many children are currently placed in these homes. The exact timeline of the legal battle and the law change that allowed release of the list is not fully detailed. The government's specific actions to shut down these homes since the list was created are also not fully known. The Supreme Administrative Court's reasons for denying leave to appeal have not been disclosed.