"Organization type ": Administracion pública

Gent knapt op - Innovative ways to finance housing renovations

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Gent knapt op - Innovative ways to finance housing renovations

Mismatches Financing Vulnerable groups
Financing Public funding Supply subsidies Progressive financing

Main objectives of the project

“Gent knapt op” was born as the UIA project ICCARus (Improving housing Conditions for CAptive Residents) in Ghent (Belgium). The main goal of the project was to set up a new and innovative way of financing renovation projects of those residents “captive” in low-quality houses. In other words, to help low-income households that cannot foster a renovation, a recurring fund was set up.

Date

  • 2020: En proceso

Stakeholders

  • Constructor: Ghent City Hall

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Belgium, Ghent

Description

Many people in Ghent are living in low-quality housing units that urgently need renovation. Due to limited budgets, they are stuck in unsafe houses, not energy-efficient and not adapted to people’s physical needs. ‘Caught’ in bad living conditions, they are called ‘captive residents’. Currently, 10.000 households in Ghent are captive residents, which corresponds to 6.000 houses. In this context, the Ghent City Hall faced an urban emergency with little ability to intervene. Many of those captive residents did not fulfill the criteria for renovation grands. So, innovative ways of financing their renovation needed to be found.

Drawing on the Dampoort Knapt Op’ 2015 experience, Ghent set up “Gent knapt op”, with the help of the UIA project ICCARus. The main goal was starting a “recurring fund”. How does this fund work? The project provides for a maximum of 30,000 euros to renovate the house. This fund should be returned. However, the innovation is that it is only returned once the building or the house is sold (or alienated, donated…) to a third party. Once the house is sold, the fund earns the surplus of the selling so they can invest in a new renovation. In this way, the public investment fund can be used over and over again to tackle the low housing quality of vulnerable homeowners.

How is the value to repay calculated? If the value of the house at the moment of repayment is higher than the initial value of the house, plus the value of the contribution adjusted for inflation, then the added value is divided between the owner and the Public Center of Social Welfare. The percentage is based on the ratio between the value of the house before the renovation and the financial contribution. The Public Center of Social Welfare takes a mortgage on the house to ensure that the financial contribution will be paid back.

Apart from the fund, the project also gives guidance to the owners that are in the program. The social and technical help is imperative while renovating the house, so the owners feel secure and heard during the process.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Tolerantes Miteinander (“Living Together In Tolerance”)

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Tolerantes Miteinander (“Living Together In Tolerance”)

Mismatches Segregation Cultural suitability Vulnerable groups
Policies and regulations Participatory processes
Promotion and production Public promotion

Main objectives of the project

Berlin faced a double problem: housing shoratge for new residents and substandard housing solutions for refugees. Yet, a new solution was organized to tackle both of the issues. On the one hand, rather than building shelters for refugees with fences and guards, contributing to stigmatization, Berlin built a more permanent and dignified housing solution for long-term refugees. On the other hand, to avoid segregation, these housing units were mixed with new residential options for new berliners coming to live to the city. A model with inclusivity at its heart.

Date

  • 2021: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: Degewo

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Berlin
Country/Region: Berlin, Germany

Description

Berlin is experiencing growth, with an increasing need for housing, including for refugees. However, relying solely on emergency shelters is not a sustainable solution. In 2016, the public company Degewo initiated a pioneering project in the Köpenick area of Berlin called ToM – Tolerantes Miteinander ("living together in tolerance"). This project aimed to address the challenge of housing and integration by creating a neighborhood where old and new Berliners could become genuine neighbors.

Located in the Treptow-Köpenick district, which has a higher proportion of elderly residents and a relatively low immigrant population (3%), the project faced concerns from existing residents about accommodating refugees in the neighborhood. To address these concerns, the project prioritized early intervention to tackle prejudices and alleviate fears through transparent communication and ample information sharing. Thus, participatory and communitarian practices where set in place before the project was executed.

The overarching objective was to develop a sustainable urban concept that promoted integration through mixed-use residential construction. With funding from the state of Berlin, the project aimed to build 164 apartments, half of which would be allocated to refugees with residency rights, and the other half to non-refugee Berliners. The 1 to 5 room apartments have sizes from 39 m² to 109 m². From all the apartments available, 133 apartments are subsidized and are offered for an average of 6.50 euros/m² net. A residence permit is required.

The project achieved diversity through communal spaces such as tenant gardens, shared rooms offering language courses and collaborative cooking sessions, and a residents' café. Long-term residents were encouraged to support newcomers through language assistance and help with bureaucratic procedures, fostering a sense of community. As a result, today, residents from 17 different countries peacefully coexist, fostering pride in their diverse community and positive relationships with neighboring areas. Multicultural activities are celebrated and viewed as an asset, providing residents with opportunities for independent living, education, and social interaction within their neighborhood.

Additionally, the project established a "ToM office" staffed by social workers provided by the Internationaler Bund (IB), funded by Degewo for the initial two years. These workers offer free support and advice on various issues, including family matters, health, finances, education, residence, and employment. The project also provides communal spaces and encourages sponsorships between tenants, while a multilingual caretaker is available to mediate conflicts and assist residents as needed.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Yes, We Rent! - Leveraging vacant private property to build up a cooperative affordable housing scheme

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Yes, We Rent! - Leveraging vacant private property to build up a cooperative affordable housing scheme

Policies and regulations Participatory processes
Financing Public funding Indirect opportunities
Promotion and production Innovation Self-management Cooperatives Management and maintenance
Ownership and tenure Shared ownership Rental and temporary tenure Protection of social housing

Main objectives of the project

"Yes, We Rent!" is a social rent scheme in Mataró, Spain, addressing housing shortages and affordability issues. It aims to activate vacant flats for rental, offering below-market rates through guaranteed rents and renovation support. The initiative also trains at-risk teenagers for employment in housing renovation, tackling both housing and socio-economic challenges simultaneously.

Date

  • 2019: En proceso

Stakeholders

  • Constructor: Ajuntament de Mataró

Location

Country/Region: Mataró

Description

The social housing sector in Mataró fails to meet demand, comprising just 265 units while 1400 households remain on the waiting list. Additionally, approximately 3,500 properties sit vacant due to owners lacking renovation resources or fearing unpaid rents. This situation presents both challenges and opportunities. "Yes We Rent!" aims to address this by repurposing these vacant properties to create accessible housing for medium-income households. Through offering guaranteed rent and financial support for renovations, the project incentivizes risk-averse owners to participate in the affordable housing scheme at below-market rates. A portion of the benefits is retained to strengthen and expand the initiative and to employ at-risk youth people in the renovation efforts. Moreover, "Yes We Rent!" explores a multi-stakeholder cooperative model, leveraging public funding and cooperative empowerment to engage tenants in self-help initiatives, service development, and new property recruitment. By harnessing the potential of the social and cooperative sectors, "Yes We Rent!" seeks to redefine roles and relationships in the local rental housing market. The project aims to significantly increase the affordability of rental housing in Mataró by acquiring a substantial number of privately-owned affordable flats—targeting at least 200 units—and offering them at below-market prices to at least 450 individuals in need of housing. This initiative will test a replicable organizational and economic model, with the City Council establishing the scheme and providing initial financing for a mixed multi-stakeholder cooperative that is intended to evolve into a sustainable autonomous entity in the housing market.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

APROP - Provisional Local Accommodations

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APROP - Provisional Local Accommodations

Mismatches Vulnerable groups
Policies and regulations Building capacity
Promotion and production Public promotion Innovation Materials Technology Industrialisation

Main objectives of the project

APROP is an innovative housing program designed to offer affordable, sustainable, and high-quality emergency accommodation to households facing eviction, all within their own neighborhoods. Utilizing a unique construction system built around reused shipping containers, the program prioritizes energy efficiency and innovative solutions for social housing schemes.

Date

  • 2019: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Constructor: Barcelona City Hall
  • Constructor: IMHAB

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Barcelona
Country/Region: Spain

Description

APROP (an acronym for Proximity Temporary Affordable Housing, also meaning "nearby" in Catalan), utilizing industrialized methods and recycled shipping containers, represents a municipal commitment to innovation in addressing the housing emergency. Inspired by successful projects in cities like London, Copenhagen, and Vancouver, this model offers fast, sustainable, and quality housing to prevent displacement and gentrification. Promoted by the Barcelona City Council's Department of Social Rights, the programme aims to provide temporary accommodation while more permanent but slower housing solutions are developing. APROP buildings will be distributed across the ten city districts in empty sites awaiting public facilities or permanent housing projects. The first one is already in operation in the Ciutat Vella central district and it includes 12 dwellings. APROP Ciutat Vella is a compact, 5-storey corner volume on a 186m² plot. It hosts the extension of a health facility on the ground floor and 12 dwellings on the four upper floors. All the housing units feature a living room with an open kitchen and fully accessible bathrooms. The smaller ones, 30m², have a double bedroom, while the bigger ones, 60m², include two bedrooms. The outdoor facades fully respect the landscape of the old city centre. The second generation of APROP buildings have already been built in Glòries. Every building in the programme is the result of an open competition demanding the implementation of a lightweight, dry and modular construction system based on reused shipping containers. The use of shipping containers significantly reduces environmental impacts while shortening construction times. The system is perfectly dismountable, transportable and adaptable to further locations.

APROPs serve as temporary housing and provide socio-educational support to individuals and families at risk of social exclusion, referred by social services due to unstable housing situations. With a focus on enhancing autonomy and self-sufficiency, the program emphasizes labor and training support, as well as fostering economic savings during the residency period. This comprehensive approach aims to facilitate a transition to stable housing alternatives.

Designed for temporary use, APROPs allows residents to remain close to their communities. Shipping containers are repurposed into one- or two-bedroom accommodations, featuring natural lighting, ventilation, outdoor spaces, and functional furnishings. High-quality insulation and spatial performance systems ensure thermal, acoustic, and lighting comfort for occupants. Overall, APROPs offer a holistic approach to temporary housing, integrating social support services with sustainable construction practices to address housing insecurity and promote community stability.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Villaggio Gandusio - Fight Energy Poverty and Act on the Community

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Villaggio Gandusio - Fight Energy Poverty and Act on the Community

Mismatches Segregation Functional adequacy Vulnerable groups Climate change
Policies and regulations Participatory processes
Promotion and production Public promotion Participatory processes

Main objectives of the project

Bologna is a vivid city, with a dynamic university atmosphere and a rich diversity of people and economy. Yet, rental prices are one of the highest in Italy. Moreover, the few social housing units that exist face two interrelated issues: building degradation and social vulnerability. To tackle both of them, the Municipality of Bologna started a refurbishment of Villaggio Gandusios social hosuing units. The goal was to make them ecologically resilient in a context of increasing heat waves while acting on their communities, building a stronger social engagement of the neighbours.

Date

  • 2018: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: ACER

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Bologna, Italy

Description

Over time, the public housing complex located at Via Gandusio no. 6-8-10-12 has not only suffered from typical physical deterioration but has also witnessed a rise in social tensions. This escalation is partly attributed to the clustering of vulnerable situations within the same environment, negatively impacting the overall housing quality and neighborhood dynamics. In response to these challenges, the Municipality of Bologna, operating through its management entity, ACER, initiated a comprehensive endeavor in 2018 to renovate the buildings and enhance energy efficiency. However, the primary aim extended beyond mere energy resilience of the buildings regarding heat waves. The main goal was to address the social needs of the residents.

The renovation process encompassed various measures, including upgrading façades with thermal insulation, improving maintenance of balconies, roofs, atriums, and stairwells, enhancing electrical and gas systems, replacing fixtures, and installing heat meters across 160 apartments and communal areas.

The overarching challenge was to transform one of the city's most problematic public housing areas into a hub of social innovation, serving as a model for potential replication. Villaggio Gandusio aimed to integrate seamlessly into the neighborhood fabric, prioritizing living quality and social inclusion through sustainable social diversity and collaborative projects. Achieving this objective necessitated coaching, social mediation, and fostering peaceful coexistence among residents. To facilitate this, dedicated facilitators maintained a permanent presence within the community, supplemented by training sessions to empower residents as facilitators themselves. The refurbishment office also housed social mediators who actively addressed conflicts and introduced digital communication channels for neighbor interactions.

Furthermore, efforts were made to enhance communal spaces and green areas through community-driven activities, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and unity among residents. A key aspect was promoting a more diverse community makeup, exemplified by an agreement with Er.go (Regional Authority for the Right to Higher Education) to allocate certain apartments to low-income university students engaged in community care projects, particularly assisting residents' children with after-school activities, which proved to be highly successful.

This transformative project turned Via Gandusio from a conflict-ridden and neglected area into a beacon of civic engagement and cooperation between residents and public institutions, serving as a blueprint for similar interventions in other large social housing complexes. Through the dedicated efforts of social mediators, this approach instilled a positive sense of community, empowered residents, nurtured care and respect for shared resources, and facilitated the formation of self-support networks among neighbors.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Startblok - a social living project for integration

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Startblok - a social living project for integration

Mismatches Cultural suitability Vulnerable groups
Policies and regulations Governance
Promotion and production Self-management

Main objectives of the project

Startblok is a housing project for young refugees who have recently received their residence permit (status-holders) and for young persons from the Netherlands. Pursuing a diverse community, a self-management governance and an affordability scheme opens the door to an innovative integration project in Amsterdam. A former sports-grounds next to the A10 highway in Amsterdam New West has been transformed into this pioneer housing project, aiming for a better understanding of social housing, mixture and community.

Date

  • 2015: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: Key
  • Constructor: Municipality of Amsterdam

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Amsterdam
Country/Region: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Description

Startblok Riekerhaven is a collaborative housing initiative established by de Key in partnership with the municipality of Amsterdam and Socius Wonen. On July 1, 2016, the inaugural residents received keys to their new homes at Startblok Riekerhaven. Since its inception, fostering a sense of community has been paramount within this project. Residents are empowered to manage their own living spaces, with every aspect of Startblok designed to encourage effort and initiative from its inhabitants. Comprising 405 living spaces across 22 corridors, most of which feature communal living rooms, Startblok caters to young refugees with permanent residence permits as well as other Dutch youth, facilitating integration and interaction among them. Applicants must be between 18 and 27 years old, with all status holders engaged in language courses and either internships or vocational training, alongside access to on-site psychological services.

Of the more than 400 living spaces, 303 are private studios equipped with individual facilities, while 102 are private rooms within apartments with shared amenities. Studios, averaging 23m2, boast personal kitchens and bathrooms and are clustered with 16 to 31 other residents, fostering socialization in communal areas. Meanwhile, the apartments include 42 units for two persons and six for three persons, with private bedrooms spanning approximately 12m2 or 14m2 and shared living rooms around 25m2. Rent prices, ranging from 350 to 430 Euros per month, significantly undercut the Amsterdam average.

Outdoor facilities at Startblok encompass sports fields and a clubhouse, with residents actively involved in creating BBQ areas, a swimming pool, and tending to vegetable gardens. Additionally, communal spaces are designed to facilitate socializing and organizing activities, with residents able to seek budgetary and organizational support from the Startblok Actief! foundation, managed by residents themselves.

Central to Startblok's ethos is its self-management governance model. Each corridor is overseen by one or two Hallway Managers responsible for maintaining communal areas and organizing activities, serving as the primary point of contact for residents in need. Five Social Managers ensure active engagement among residents and uphold standards of hygiene, safety, and livability. A general management team, composed of residents, handles accountability and day-to-day operations.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

ㅤ Encouraging the residential mobility of social housing tenants: England’s Right to Move policy (United Kingdom)

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ㅤ Encouraging the residential mobility of social housing tenants: England’s Right to Move policy (United Kingdom)

Main objectives of the project

Date

  • 2015:

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: UK government

Location

Country/Region: United Kingdom

Description

In 2015 the UK government passed the Right to Move statutory guidance under the new Allocation of Housing Regulations for England. This guarantee removed residency or queuing requirements for social housing units if prospective tenants move to take up employment or an apprenticeship. For this, the previous ‘hardship’ criteria have been extended to those moving for work. Local authorities are since required to offer a minimum of 1% of their housing stock under the Right to Move scheme.  

Previously, prospective council or housing association tenants often needed to sacrifice their rent-controlled tenancy in order to take up work elsewhere, effectively disincentivising employment as waiting lists were often long and private rental options too expensive for these households. The new regulations thus remove rent-benefit and housing affordability related barriers from employment related moves and encourage residential mobility within the social housing sector and across districts. It is not clear whether the Right to Move programme has catalysed moves between districts and lowered some of the mobility barriers.  

Authors:

Low Income Housing Tax Credit in the United States

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Low Income Housing Tax Credit in the United States

Mismatches
Policies and regulations

Main objectives of the project

In the US, most housing subsidies are provided indirectly via the tax system rather than direct public spending. One of the tax subsidies provided for affordable housing is Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) which were introduced by the Tax Reform Act in 1986.

Date

  • 2018:

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: United States government

Location

Continent: North America
Country/Region: United States of America

Description

Since their introduction LIHTCs have helped to fund three million units of affordable housing. They cost the United States government some USD 9.9 billion per year in tax foregone.[1]

LIHTCs are available to both non-profit and for-profit housing developers. Once a housing developer has identified a site and been allocated tax credits, capital is raised by selling the credits to investors. Investors include banks, which have financed 43 per cent on average, 30 per cent from government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae, 19 per cent from insurance and other finance companies, and 8 per cent from non-financial companies. Tax benefits only flow to investors if the scheme remains compliant for 15-30 years with the rules set when the tax credits were allocated.[2] Notably LIHTCs usually finance around 42 per cent of the costs of a typical housing project. Therefore, to deliver affordable housing this finance must be complemented by public grants and lower-cost financing.

To help fund additional dwellings from the USD 10 billion provided via LIHTC, since 2018 LIHTC projects can offer dwellings with higher income ceilings – up to 80 per cent of the local median income, with rents at 30 per cent of this level. Other dwellings in the same housing development must have lower income ceilings and the overall average of all dwellings in the development must be 60 per cent of area median income.[3]

Links

Authors:

National Housing Agency of Albania

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National Housing Agency of Albania

Mismatches
Policies and regulations
Financing
Ownership and tenure

Main objectives of the project

The National Housing Agency (NHA) of Albania was established in 1993 and is a state-owned enterprise.
It is legally mandated to conduct the following tasks:

Financing and entering contracts for construction, completion, and sale of dwellings
Conducting research and advising on housing and urban design
Sourcing finance to implement its mandate
Cooperating with municipalities to meet their obligations in the housing sector
Providing low-cost housing and selling it with favourable conditions for families who need housing.

Date

  • 1993:

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: National Housing Agency (NHA)

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Albania

Description

NHA was established with the technical assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and a World Bank loan to complete the construction of some 6,000 – 7,000 apartments. These were started before 1990 and were left unfinished after the fall of the communist regime. NHA was initially established to manage this loan, the state budget for housing, and other sources of financing. However, in the years following its establishment, NHA accumulated funds from selling apartments to the beneficiaries and subsequently began to use these funds as a revolving fund. This enabled NHA to become self-funding and thereby financially independent from government from 2007 onwards.

NHA now uses accumulated funds to provide new affordable housing and funds from selling this are then invested in new apartments. To start a new project, NHA signs an agreement with the mayor of a city. An agreement is signed only if the municipality assigns a plot of land to NHA. In addition, the municipality may also be required to invest in the land-servicing infrastructure required to construct the dwellings, and to reduce related municipal taxes and fees. The selling price of dwellings reflects the cost of construction, including the price of the land and 4 per cent overhead costs, and of land servicing.

Purchasers of dwellings are selected by municipalities on the grounds of low income and ability to afford the dwelling purchase price. Purchasers can buy with a bank loan or repay NHA in instalments. Loans and repayment in instalment agreements generally have a term of 15-25 years and attract 3 per cent interest.

Links

Authors:

Affordable rental scheme in France – using private homes for social tenants

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Affordable rental scheme in France – using private homes for social tenants

Mismatches
Policies and regulations
Ownership and tenure

Main objectives of the project

Sometimes tax incentives are provided to investors in rental housing regardless of the rent-setting or allocation mechanisms being used. However, in France, the “Louer abordable”[1] (affordable rental) scheme attempts to channel some of this investment into providing additional rental housing for households eligible for social housing, by providing tax and other benefits to investors. This scheme has existed in various forms for about thirty years. It currently secures around 9,000 additional affordable dwellings each year and has thus far accumulated a dedicated stock of 100,000 dwellings provided under this tax framework.

Date

  • 2017:

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: Agence Nationale pour l’Amélioration de l’Habitat (ANAH)

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: France

Description

In its most common form, the Louer abordable sees an owner of a dwelling sign a rental agreement (a “louer mieux” contract) with the Agence Nationale pour l’Amélioration de l’Habitat (ANAH)[1] – the national agency which manages the scheme. As part of this agreement, the owner hands over management of the dwelling to an approved ‘social rental agency’ for a fixed period, usually either six or nine years, though this can be extended after the end of the initial contract if both parties agree.

From the perspective of potential tenants, renting a dwelling provided under this programme is similar to renting a ‘traditional’ social housing unit. Eligibility is determined primarily based on income, but the maximum income allowable varies depending on household size and region.[2] In terms of the tax benefits available to landlords who lease their property under the Louer abordable scheme, between 15 per cent and 85 per cent of the rent can be tax free. Higher rates of tax incentives are available to landlords who rent to those on the lowest incomes, with less generous tax breaks available if the property is rented to those on medium incomes. The geographic location of the property is also considered, with higher tax relief in higher-demand areas. The rent that can be charged is fixed by law and varies depending on factors such as size and location of dwelling.

It is also important to note that in the French system, tax breaks only apply in instances where rent is treated as “property income” and not as “industrial or commercial profits”.[3] In this way, the Louer abordable scheme is attractive for small scale individual investors rather than large corporate investment vehicles.

The Louer abordable scheme also has an important environmental element. Should a property need to undergo renovation works, the owner can benefit from various financial supports provided by ANAH, including a lower VAT rate on works and tax credits. To qualify, the renovated dwelling must meet specified minimum-energy standards. In any case, landlords in France must now offer minimum standards of thermal comfort to legally rent their dwelling.

Links

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