What Fordern & Wohnen does

F&W FöRDERN & WOHNEN AöR is a municipal public-law institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) established in 2007 and owned entirely by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, operating under statutory mandate to prevent and address homelessness across the city and its metropolitan region. The organization provides a full continuum of housing and support services — emergency overnight shelters, daytime drop-in centers, street-outreach social work, the seasonal Winternotprogramm, initial asylum reception, residential facilities for refugees, transitional housing with a pathway to permanent housing, priority housing for urgency-certified tenants, assisted-living and ambulatory support for people with disabilities, mental illness, and addiction disorders, service apartments for seniors, and in-house construction of new affordable units — delivered across more than 200 facilities, including the Sachsenwaldau social-therapeutic center in Schleswig-Holstein and the Café InTakt social enterprise.

F&W operates with no proprietary technology platform and no commercial product; its digital footprint consists of a Typo3-based website (with Easy Language and multilingual accessibility covering ten languages) and self-hosted Matomo analytics. There is no API, no mobile application, no disclosed AI/ML capability, and no patents or trademarks. Revenue is generated through three streams: government-regulated fees (Gebühren) for public housing placement paid by city authorities on behalf of social-benefit recipients, private-law rental income from apartments and service-living residences (some listed on ImmoScout24), and fees for assisted-living and integration-assistance (Eingliederungshilfe) services. The institution generates no profit and has no external investors; it is supervised by the Behörde für Gesundheit, Soziales und Integration and governed by a supervisory board chaired by Staatsrätin Funda Gür.

Approximately 2,200 employees serve more than 45,000 people in public housing placement in Hamburg. Access to services is coordinated entirely through institutional referral channels — the seven district Fachstellen für Wohnungsnotfälle, the central Aufnahme- und Vermittlungsstelle (AVS) at headquarters, the Ankunftszentrum arrival center for asylum seekers, hospitals, psychiatric and addiction services, and the Bahnhofsmission's Social HUB for youth transitional housing — with no commercial sales or marketing activity. Governance is exercised through the Hamburger Corporate Governance Kodex, a Compliance Management System in place since early 2022, GDPR-compliant data processing, and BITV accessibility standards audited in 2025.

Name

Fordern & Wohnen

Legal name

F&W Fördern & Wohnen AöR

Website

https://foerdernundwohnen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

F&W FöRDERN & WOHNEN AöR is a Hamburg municipal public-law institution providing emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, asylum reception, and assisted-living services for homeless individuals, refugees, people with disabilities, and seniors across 200+ facilities, serving 45,000+ residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Housing and Homelessness Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (62322), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Other Residential Care Facilities (62399)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable/Subsidized Independent Living (HUD/LIHTC) Communities (HLADAAAB), Co-Living / Hybrid Extended-Stay Residences (THAGAEAK)

Keywords

• Public housing services
• Homeless shelter services
• Refugee accommodation
• Assisted living services
• Social housing administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public housing fees (Gebühren): Fees charged for services including publicly-mandated housing placement in residential facilities. These fees are paid by the city authorities for residents without independent income (social benefit recipients), or directly by residents who have income. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Private-law rental income: Rents collected from tenants in regular apartments and service-living senior residences. Rents for subsidized housing require a Wohnberechtigungsschein (housing eligibility certificate). Some apartments are listed on ImmoScout24 for open-market rental.
3. Assisted living and support services: Fees for assisted living services (Assistenzleistungen) for people with disabilities and mental health conditions, covered through Eingliederungshilfe (integration assistance) funding from social services authorities. Requires ASP approval or ongoing application with the Fachamt Eingliederungshilfe.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fördern & Wohnen is the municipal social enterprise of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. It operates approximately 200 facilities providing emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, refugee initial reception, assisted living for people with disabilities, mental illness and addiction, and senior service apartments. Its offer spans the full continuum from street outreach to assisted independent living, plus construction and maintenance of public housing stock.

Product overview

Fördern & Wohnen is a social enterprise owned by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg operating approximately 200 facilities across 6 core service areas. The organization provides a continuum of housing and support services including emergency shelters and housing for homeless people, initial reception facilities for refugees and asylum seekers, permanent housing facilities, assisted living for people with disabilities and mental health conditions, senior service apartments, and construction of new housing units. The portfolio is organized around preventing homelessness through emergency response, transitional housing, and long-term support services. Key facilities include the Sozialtherapeutisches Zentrum Sachsenwaldau for addiction recovery, Café InTakt as a social enterprise, and the Winternotprogramm seasonal emergency shelter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wohnunterkünfte (Housing Facilities) Temporary housing facilities for homeless and refugee populations in Hamburg, offering shared living spaces with basic amenities and on-site social support services.
• Obdachlosenhilfe (Homeless Assistance) Emergency overnight shelters (Frauenzimmer for women, Pik As for men), daytime drop-in centers (Tagesaufenthaltsstätten at Spaldingstraße 77a and Stresemannstraße 138, daily 9:30–16:30), street outreach social work (Visite Sozial), and the seasonal Winternotprogramm providing over 700 sleeping places at 2 locations during November–March.
• Erstaufnahme (Initial Reception) Initial reception facilities for asylum seekers operated within the Ankunftszentrum Hamburg-Rahlstedt, with 24-hour availability, sleeping accommodations, meals, and counseling services.
• Assistenz & Teilhabe (Assistance & Participation) Support services for people with disabilities, mental health conditions, or addiction, including assisted living (Haus Neue Mitte, Haus Huckfeld), home-based Ambulanter Dienst, ambulatory social-psychiatric assistance (ASP), the day center Tagesstätte Huckfeld, the Zentrum Dorothea-Buck-Straße, and individual job coaching (Individuelle Arbeitsbegleitung). Funded through Eingliederungshilfe with cost coverage determined per case.
• Wohnen im Alter (Senior Housing) Service apartments for seniors at two sites in Hamburg with on-site counseling and ambulatory care coordination, plus community gardens, flea market organization, and voluntary engagement opportunities. Requires Wohnberechtigungsbescheinigung.
• Wohnen mit Dringlichkeitsschein (Priority Housing) Rental housing for Hamburg residents with verified urgent housing needs (vordringlich wohnungssuchend), allocated through district Fachstellen für Wohnungsnotfälle based on issued Dringlichkeitsschein and Mieter-Sozialberatung.
• Sozialtherapeutisches Zentrum Sachsenwaldau Residential social-therapeutic center for people with mental health conditions, addiction, or dual diagnosis in Reinbek (Schleswig-Holstein), offering therapy through work with animals, gardens, and creative activities. Park-like site with residential houses, Café InTakt, sports hall, workshops, and a garden; approximately 140 residents; 24/7 staffing.
• Café InTakt Public café on the Sachsenwaldau grounds in Reinbek offering lunch and afternoon coffee/cake, providing employment opportunities for clients. Open Monday–Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday 11:30–17:00 (closed Fridays).
• Bau & Immobilien (Construction & Real Estate) Construction, maintenance, and preservation of housing facilities for Hamburg, including traditional and serial construction methods since 2024, plus renovation of existing stock (Erhalten & Erneuern).
• Winternotprogramm (Winter Emergency Program) Seasonal emergency shelter program running November–March with over 700 sleeping places at 2 locations, complemented by daily meal donations from the Förderverein Winternotprogramm e. V.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 45,000 people currently in public housing in Hamburg, served by F&W's system
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Förderverein Winternotprogramm e. V.coreOthersThe Förderverein Winternotprogramm provides daily meal donations that are served at the Winternotprogramm facilities operated by F&W. This partnership ensures that homeless guests receive warm meals during the November–March winter shelter program, supplementing F&W's accommodation services with food provisions.
• Social HUB der Bahnhofsmission HamburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial HUB is the central referral hub for the youth transitional housing program (Übergangswohnen für junge Erwachsene). F&W does not independently manage the application process; all placements for this program are coordinated through the Bahnhofsmission's Social HUB.
• Hamburg district authorities and BezirksämtercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerF&W works closely with all 7 Hamburg district offices (Bezirksämter) for the placement of residents in public housing, management of Fachstellen für Wohnungsnotfälle, and coordination of new facility openings and closures. Decisions on housing placement allocation, new facility sites, and closures are made jointly by the competent authorities and the districts.
• Behörde für Gesundheit, Soziales und Integration (FHH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hamburg Authority for Health, Social Affairs, and Integration is F&W's primary supervisory authority. F&W reports to this authority, which also appoints the supervisory board chair (Staatsrätin/ Staatsrat). The authority sets strategic direction and funding parameters for F&W's public mandate.
• SAGA GWG and private investorsmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor 'Unterkünfte mit der Perspektive Wohnen' (housing with a perspective to permanent housing), F&W rents apartments from private investors, housing cooperatives (including SAGA GWG), and other developers. These properties are built to social housing standards and F&W serves as operator and social service provider for the residents.
• Corporate Volunteering partner companiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCompanies engage their employees in Corporate Volunteering projects at F&W facilities — from one-off Social Days to longer-term programs. F&W's Freiwilligenkoordination team advises and supports companies in designing and implementing volunteer activities aligned with DIN EN ISO 26000 CSR standards. A minimum 3-month lead time is required.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: Germany's largest Catholic welfare association, operating housing, refugee, addiction, and disability services nationwide. Comparable to F&W's service portfolio across assisted living, refugee support, and social counseling, though operating as a confederated nonprofit rather than a single municipal AöR.
• Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO): Major German social welfare association providing housing, elderly care, disability services, and refugee integration through regional chapters. Comparable to F&W across multiple service lines, particularly senior housing and assisted living.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Protestant welfare umbrella organization providing social services including housing for vulnerable groups, refugee support, and disability care across Germany. Directly comparable in service mix (housing, assisted living, addiction support) and target populations.

Others

• Bayerische Gesellschaft für psychische Gesundheit (bgpp): Bavarian social enterprise providing assisted living, housing, and employment support for people with mental illness. Comparable to F&W's Assistenz & Teilhabe portfolio, particularly the Ambulant Sozialpsychiatrische Leistungen and Wohnen im Zentrum Dorothea-Buck-Straße services.
• Stiftung Maiacher: Hamburg-area social services provider focused on housing and support for vulnerable populations including the chronically homeless and people with mental illness — closely comparable target population and Hamburg geography to F&W.

Direct peers

• Lebenshilfe: National association providing housing, assisted living, and day services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable to F&W's disability residential services (Haus Neue Mitte, Haus Huckfeld, Assistenzleistungen) and ambulatory support offerings.
• SAGA GWG: Hamburg's municipal housing company that owns and manages a large portfolio of subsidized and social housing. Comparable to F&W as a city-owned entity delivering public-housing services in Hamburg, with overlap on 'housing with perspective' partnerships and subsidized tenancies.

Regional players

• Berliner Stadtmission: Berlin-based social welfare organization providing homelessness services, transitional housing, and assisted living for people with mental illness and addiction. Closely comparable operating model to F&W in scope and target population, but regionally focused on Berlin.
• Sucht- und Drogenhilfe Hamburg e.V. Hamburg-based addiction services network offering ambulatory counseling, residential treatment, and dual-diagnosis support. Comparable to F&W's Sachsenwaldau center and ambulatory addiction assistance programs.
• GEWOBA Wohnen in Bremen: Bremen's municipal housing company providing subsidized and social housing stock with social management services. Comparable to F&W as a public-sector housing operator with combined property and social-service functions, but regionally focused on Bremen.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fuw_hh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fordern & Wohnen