NEW SOCIAL HOUSING UNITS FOR REFUGEES AND OTHER VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS
The SIRP funding was covering the construction of housing units under loan conditions. The MHAs have to repay 30% of the received loan to the National Housing Agency, as foreseen in the Draft Social Housing Law, in 30 years, with the interest rate of 0.5%. The high subsidy was introduced to make the rent more affordable to the vulnerable groups targeted for beneficiaries. The municipalities’ contribution of around 40% of the total value of the investment included the provision of locations, partial participation in construction as well as servicing and arrangement of locations.
The buildings were constructed at locations that are situated in different parts of the cities, have different surroundings and differ in size and urban capacities. What all the locations have in common is accessibility to public services and infrastructures. The housing units are built and equipped to a high quality. The concept designs of housing units were obtained through a series of national architectural competitions realized in cooperation with the Association of Architects of Serbia. The size of the housing units, which are located in multi-unit buildings with 2-4 floors, ranges from 25 to 50 m2. Access is provided for persons in wheelchairs in all the buildings and apartments are provided and equipped to meet their needs. All buildings are connected to the entire city infrastructure, including the heating system. MHAs have managed all activities of tendering and public procurement, contracting and construction and have administered the procedure of selecting beneficiaries, and moved in the beneficiaries and. Finally, MHAs are in charge of managing and maintenance of the newly built housing units.
Housing beneficiaries are refugees, former refugees and local population with housing needs – single parents, families living in poor housing conditions, tenants, etc. Housing beneficiaries have been selected according to a procedure developed through a wide range of consultations with relevant stakeholders and in accordance with national and local legal regulations and international guidelines. Out of the total of 530 beneficiary families, 425 are refugee families from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia who have decided on permanent integration in Serbia, while 105 families belong to local population with housing needs.
View further readings on:
|
