A presentation given by Maarten Davelaar, NL at a FEANTSA Research Conference on "Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe", York, September 2012

1. Insert your logo here
Making the Private Rental Sector
Responsible - Some Lessons
from Ghent (B)
Maarten Davelaar,
Verwey-Jonker Institute (NL)
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

2. Content
 Homelessness & housing
 Some characteristics on homelessness &
housing in Flanders & Ghent
 Making the private sector responsible:
instruments
 Challenges & Strengths (= potential for
transferability)
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

3. Homelessness & housing
Need for:
 Prevention of house evictions
 Improving access to regular housing:
 developing Housing First (semi-independent
living)
 bringing down barriers to social housing
 affordable housing in the private sector
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

4. Context Belgium / Flanders
 Home ownership central
 Large, fragmented private rental sector
 Small social housing sector (7% of total)
 Complex, mixed governance system:
 local and regional political priorities
 local and regional financing of local services
 services on the ground delivered by both public and
NGO services
 imperfect decentralisation: limited local public steering
capacity
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

5. Ghent: figures (2009-2010)
 114,795 households
 33,500 low income hh
 14,900 renting hh live in low quality
housing
 7,900 renting hh: difficulties paying the
rent
 398 procedures for house evictions
started, 125 evict. (other estim. 300-400)
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

6. Homelessness policies: partners
 City of Ghent: Unit for Local Social Policy
 Public Centre for Social Welfare – OCMW
 Centres for General Welfare – CAW
(NGOs)
 Other NGOs: Huize Triest, Street corner
work, Woonfonds
 Social Housing Associations
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

7. Instruments private sector (1)
 System of Social Rental Agencies: OCMW
and ‘Woonfonds’-NGO (300 units)
 Floating services / supported housing also
available to people in regular housing
 Agreement on prevention of evictions in
the private rental sector
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

8. Instruments (2)
 Prevention of evictions in the private rental
sector (by CAWs):
 Building on experiences in social housing
sector
 To address problematic situations in private
rental market
 Tenants and landlords can report problems
 94 trajectories in 2010
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

9. Strengths
 Local cooperation despite complex
political-administrative context
 Various instruments to address problems
in the private rental sector
 Clear commitment: reaching out to clients
in regular housing
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

10. Challenges (1)
 Attractiveness of Ghent as a ‘hub’ for
‘starters’: students, (EU-)migrants, people
leaving institutions
 Shortage of decent affordable housing:
housing policies for low income groups?
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

11. Challenges (2)
 Existing regulations not always enforced
 Quality & safety standards
 Unoccupied property
 Vacant space over shops
 Need to invest further in prevention and
(quick) re-housing while…the pressure on
basic services is mounting
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

12. To sum up
 Complex context, but fruitful local
cooperation
 Innovations:
 social rental agencies
 floating services for people in regular housing
 protocols on prevention of evictions in social
and private sector
 Pressure on affordable housing continues
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012

13. More information
 MDavelaar@verwey-jonker.nl
 www.habitact.eu
European Research Conference
Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe
York, 21st September 2012