Sweden's 60 temporary modular homes in Södertälje were scheduled for demolition over a year ago. They still stand today, empty and encircled by a steel fence, a decaying symbol of a broken promise to a weary community. Built in 2017 by Home by Home AB for the municipality, the units on Häggvägen were intended as temporary housing for newcomers. By 2022, all but ten apartments were emptied. The plan was for the site to be completely vacant by early 2024. Yet, nothing has happened. For years, the area near Innovitaskolan Rudan has been plagued by recurring problems with fires, vandalism, and break-ins. The situation reached a grim crescendo in the spring of 2024 when a man was convicted in the Svea Court of Appeal for a severe rape of a woman inside one of the modular homes. The crime occurred in an apartment where a wooden beam had been loosened and the door lock forced open. This incident underscored the acute dangers of the neglected site. More than a year ago, Municipal Director Kristina Tidestav stated the modular houses would be moved or demolished. The community waited for action. Instead, authorities erected a steel fence around the silent compound. 'It has proven not to be entirely simple,' Tidestav now says. 'They are in worse condition than we had thought. We are working to see what we should do instead. Work is ongoing on the issue.' Her words offer little comfort to residents who have watched the problem fester.
A Community's Growing Frustration
The stalled demolition is a source of deep frustration for people living in the Rudan area. They describe the fenced-off complex as a blight on the neighborhood, a constant reminder of municipal inaction. Parents walking children to the nearby Innovita School pass the stark fence every day. 'You see it and you just think, why is this still here?' says one local resident, who asked not to be named. 'They said it would be gone. Now it's just an ugly, dangerous-looking thing behind metal. It feels like we've been forgotten.' The promise of removal brought a brief hope that the corner would be reclaimed for something positive. That hope has faded with each passing season. The inaction sends a troubling message, neighbors argue. It suggests that problems can be ignored, that deadlines are flexible, and that community concerns are not urgent.
The High Cost of Delay
The delay carries tangible costs beyond the visual impact. Security remains a concern. While the fence is a barrier, it does not erase the history of crime associated with the location. The municipality must still monitor and maintain the secured site, a continuing administrative and financial burden. There is also a significant opportunity cost. The land, in a developed area close to a school, sits idle. It cannot be used for new housing, green space, or community facilities while the derelict modules remain. This limbo prevents any constructive planning for the neighborhood's future. Every month that passes is a month where the site generates no value for the community, only lingering anxiety and neglect. The original purpose of the homes—to provide emergency shelter—has long since passed. Their continued existence now serves the opposite function, detracting from the area's safety and cohesion.
What Comes Next?
The path forward remains unclear. The municipality states that work is ongoing to find an alternative solution, but no timeline or concrete plan has been shared with the public. Will the modules be dismantled piece by piece? Will the cost of demolition, now likely higher due to their worsened state, require new budgetary approvals? The community deserves transparent answers. The empty homes on Häggvägen have become more than just buildings, they are a test of the municipality's commitment to its own word. The solution requires more than just administrative work. It requires the political will to allocate resources, cut through the red tape, and finally remove the structures. Until a crew and heavy machinery arrive on site, the promise remains unfulfilled. For the residents of Rudan, the question is simple: How much longer must they wait?