EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Integrated Community Housing

Integrated Community Housing - Brno, Czech Republic

Introduction

How to involve Romany people in reconstructing their homes and help them pay their debts and obtain valid rent-contracts?

Problem

How to involve Romany people in reconstructing their homes and help them pay their debts and obtain valid rent-contracts?

Description

Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic, has a Romany population of approximately 12,000 - 3% of the population. These Romany people live in tenement buildings which have suffered from neglect for many years. A private non-profit organisation and the local authorities are working together to renovate the buildings and help solve the debt problems of the Romany people.

Approach

At the end of 1998 the local authorities decided to refurbish Drom, a Romany community centre. The centre offers leisure-time activities, education, advice and support for Romany children, youngsters and adults. It works closely with the local authorities, police and social work institutions to improve the situation of Romany people in Brno.
The centre is located on the ground floor of a tenement building in which many Romany families live. Horizonty (formerly Spolu), an international non-profit organisation aiming to improve the position of Romany communities, was already involved in the Drom centre and wanted to do more for the Romany families in Brno than just reconstructing the centre. Many Romany families are in debt and live in run-down apartments without paying rent.
Horizonty came up with the idea of having the tenants help the authorities to reconstruct their own homes, so that they could pay back their debts and negotiate valid leases.
Horizonty organised a meeting with the tenants which was well attended. Their reactions to the plan were positive. However, the families were afraid that once the building was refurbished the local authorities would evict them from their flats because they did not have valid lease agreements.
Horizonty and the local authorities set up a 'work-for-debt' programme. The tenants would be given an opportunity to work for the local authorities. This work consisted mainly of cleaning of unused spaces. The money earned would be deducted from their debts. People who worked their debts away could sign a new and valid lease for one year.

Results

A number of people have been working in and around the buildings and have not only managed to clear their debts but have also started to make regular rent payments.
During the project two tenant committees have been set up: a total of forty-one people willing to do something. Horizonty is training these committees.
The project is unique because many local authorities in eastern Europe are reluctant to allow Romany people to live in inner city areas. In this case the local authorities took a relaxed approach towards the families' illegal rent situation.
This is the first time an integrated approach has been used to solve problems with Romany people.

Learning experiences:

It proved difficult to achieve concrete results during tenant meetings, to which the Romany people are not accustomed. Romany tenants should seen as active citizens instead of a problem. Both sides, local authorities and Romany families, need time to adapt. And an attitude of apathy does not change overnight even where both sides are cooperating.
Within the local authorities there are still people who do not agree with any non-standard approach towards solving debt problems. Also the general public is sceptical.
After so many years of neglect, there are a whole range of problems to be addressed. It is not possible to solve one problem without addressing the others.
It is important to keep the decision-making process as transparent and straightforward as possible and to make important decisions during meetings in which all participating organisations take part. Corruption is something that can ruin a project like this.

Contact info

Horizonty
Phone: +420545246166
horizonty@post.cz

Project start date

28/06/2004

Links

Spolu International Foundation

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Housing > Housing policy

Keywords

Collective housing