Committee of RegionsBrussels11 May 2006

GLOCALISATION OF HOMELESS POLICIES

How local authorities can strengthen their homeless strategies through transnational cooperation

Panel discussion 2; presentation

MAPPING AND MONITORING THE HOMELESS PROBLEM AT LOCAL LEVEL

Markku LeijoDeputy Head of Division, M. Soc. ScHOUSING DIVISIONCITY OF HELSINKI e-mail: markku.leijo@hel.fi

FINLAND

POPULATION 5 261 250

Helsinki 560 905Vantaa 187 281Espoo 231 704

REGION 979 890

HOUSING STOCK OF HELSINKI, TOTAL 312 000

42%

9%13%

25%

2% 9%owner -occupied

rental / state loaned,others

rental / state loaned,City of Helsinki

rental, free market

Right-of-occupationdwellings

others

CONCEPT SOCIAL HOUSING

• Rental housing is state loaned• Occupants are low income

persons or households• In selecting occupants

preference is given to those whose housing needs are most urgent

• The local authorities supervise the selection of occupants

SOCIAL HOUSINGRENTAL DWELLING STOCK BY THE CITY OF HELSINKI

Number of dwellings 41.600

Average rent 8,25 €/m2

Dwelling type, kitchen not incl.

1 room 18 %

2 rooms 46 %

3 rooms 27 %

4 rooms + 9 %

RESERVATION FOR SPECIAL GROUPS

homeless 2678

people suffering mental illness 855

refugees 269

handicapped 104

elderly 92

TOTAL 3998 dwellings

PREVENTION OF HOMELESSNESS

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

in danger ofhomelessness

rented dwellings

rented dwellings in danger of … %

2001 2488 39,0

2002 2888 40,6

2003 3583 36,9

2004 3447 38,4

2005 3551 43,4

Risks:

- divorce- short-term contract- rental flat sells out- etc

DEFINITION OF HOMELESS

• Persons staying outdoors• Persons living in other shelters or hostels or

boarding houses for homeless people• Persons living in care homes or other housing

units of social welfare authorities, rehabilitation homes or hospitals due to lack of housing

• Persons living temporarily with relatives and acquantances due to lack of housing

• Families and couples who have split up or are living in temporary housing due to lack of housing

Housing Fund of Finland

City of Helsinki Real Estate DepartmentHousing Division

Social Welfare DepartmentSocial Welfare Services for homeless

SOURCES OF STATISTICS

SINGLE HOMELESS

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Outdoors, in night shelters, in dormitories

1130 1080 1030 985 800

In institutions 750 760 385 388 415

Temporarily with relatives and acquaintances

2820 2760 2100 1900 1880

Total 4700 4600 3515 3270 3095

SINGLE HOMELESS

2820 2760

2100 19001880

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Temporarily with relatives andacquaintances

In institutions

Outdoors, in night shelters, indormitories

HOUSING SERVICES, SOCIAL SECTOR

Number of places

Single dwellings 2130Supported dwellings 335Supported homes 178Night shelter 50

TOTAL 2693

HOUSING SERVICES, THIRD SECTOR

DORMITORIES, PLACES (659)

Men 557Women 102

REHABILITATION FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSERS INCLUDING HOUSING (total 748)

Institution places Suojapirtti 113Setlementti-liitto 15Syväpuro 35Mentally ill 450Elderly 62HIV posit. 20Homeless women 18Others 35

HOUSING DIVISION Offers total 238 (7 %)

SOCIAL SERVICES FOR HOMELESS

104

COOPERATION: HOUSING DIVISION AND SOCIAL SECTOR

Tenant selection to city rental flats, year 2005

IMMIGRATION UNIT

22

CHILDREN CARE UNIT

55

GYPSIES 35

HOMELESS FAMILIES 22

COOPERATION ON REGIONAL LEVEL

• Participants Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa

• Program targeted to decrease homelessness on Helsinki Region, years 2002-2005

– new production 2300 dwellings– to by free market 1000 dwellings– supported housing 600 dwellings– shelters 100 places

TOTAL 4000

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

NEW PICTURE OF HOMELESShardly excluded people in need of special housing solutions

NEW CONCEPT IN RENTAL HOUSINGnew principles in tenant selection and finance in new production

SPECIAL OR VULNERABLE GROUP ARE NOT IN FOCUS OF DISCUSSION

HELSINKI IS GOING TO BRING DOWN NEW PRODUCTION IN SOCIAL HOUSING(state loaned housing)