Title: Gojko Beovan University of Zagreb, Croatia SOCIAL HOUSING AS A RESIDUAL PART OF SOCIAL CARE IN CROAT
1Gojko BeovanUniversity of Zagreb,
Croatia SOCIAL HOUSING AS A RESIDUAL PART OF
SOCIAL CARE IN CROATIA
Options to Social Rental Housing in the Central
and East European Region Central and East
European Workshop on Social Housing Organized by
the Metropolitan Research Institute, Budapest in
co-operation with the COUNCIL OF EUROPE under the
aegis of UNECE Budapest, October 6-7, 2008
2Paper structure
- housing policy inheritance from the socialist
period - major trends of changes in housing policy from
1990 - current housing policy programmes and their
achievements - results of recent research on social housing
- initiatives and possible resources for social
housing
3Housing policy inheritance
- public housing 25 of the housing stock,
- decentralised public housing construction
- marginal social housing construction for the
lower income citizens - housing allowance
- housing loans under favourable conditions
- subsidies related to the purchase of building
material VAT-free - subsidies for obtaining the building land under
favourable conditions - in the socialist period there was no relevant
practice of social housing construction for lower
income households
4Changes in housing policy from 1990
- withdrawal of state from housing policy
- public housing sale
- restitution of the land to previous owners,
problems with urban planning - the war 1991-1995 caused numerous housing
problems refugees, displaced persons, demolition
of housing units and infrastructure - housing allowance is a part of the social care
system and is the responsibility of local
authorities - introduction of VAT (22) for building material
and services in 1996 increased the price of newly
built housing units - housing savings programme was introduced in 1998
(10 of the citizens are involved) - state subsidised housing construction as a
centralised, top down, programme of helping the
families that are buying the first housing, -
possibilities for investment in social housing - tax incentives for housing consumption
- housing programmes and tax incentives for housing
support middle class households - affordability is a crucial developmental housing
issue
5Table 1 Housing Tenure Structure in Croatia and
in Zagreb in 2001
Source Census, 2001. Professionals from
Statistical Office think that 60 of these are on
the private rental market.
6Social housing
- social housing- housing with protected rent,
stock of public housing remained from the sale - local authorities own these housing units, local
authorities are responsible for social housing - no legislation/program on social housing
provision - housing units in the stock of social housing are
small, poorly maintained and regularly older - very limited number of flats constructed with the
funds from public housing sale - rent in social housing is very low, 2,36 HRK/ m2
(0,33 EUR) - new government hasnt planned the new measures
for social housing. - Joint Memorandum on Social Inclusion of the
Republic of Croatia prepared in 2007 within the
programme of the European Union accession. One of
the priorities is the national programme of
social housing.
7Research results
- Within the research of housing allowances
practice, cities with more than 20,000 people, a
mail survey was sent to 31 cities, and we
received responses from 26 cities. A part of the
research related to the social housing issues. - most social housing units are in larger cities
- illegal occupation of social housing is a serious
problem - number of social housing has increased in only
five cities - nine cities made the decision to sell these
housing units - cities complain on low rent which are not
sufficient for maintenance - only twelve cities have invested in social
housing construction during the past ten years - in nineteen cities there are priority lists,
based on applications, so that the households
that will get social housing have been selected
already
8Statements on social housing issues
- housing to meet urgent housing needs in fact
doesnt exist in cities - seven cities have shelters for the homeless
- victims of public housing sale 4,500 households
9Statements on housing situation in cities
- in eleven cities, mainly large ones, civil
society organisations that advocate housing
programmes or help families at risk are active. - there is foundation in Zagreb that builds social
housing and rent it, almost free of charge, to
families with many children. - smaller cities do not see the responsibilities
and capacities of their departments for activity
in the area of housing and housing policy - the representatives of a larger cities that is
more active in this area suggested some measures - larger social and public rental housing in
building process in Zagreb - initiative of the church to provide a land for
social housing in city of Zagreb
10(No Transcript)
11Conclusions
- The social housing issues belong into the wider
area of social policy, which is fragmented,
marginalized and deprofessionalised. On the other
hand, priorities of the pension and health reform
seem to question the legitimacy of the debates on
social housing. - The policy measure of selling social housing,
which is increasingly supported by the cities,
would decrease the share of social housing in
housing stock. - Possible resources for social housing
construction could be found in the funds from the
sale of public housing, and in favourable loans
from the Council of Europe Development Bank.
These projects primarily depend on the political
will of mayors. Is it enough to have only
political for such innovation in the field of
social development. - Available building land and capacities of
municipal authorities to manage such projects
hold down the development of local social housing
project. - Justification of social housing, versus public
rental for young families.