The main goal of the research was to define the effect of the rehabilitation policies on the inhabitants of the housing estates in question. The study should have identified those groups that have experienced the advantages or the disadvantages of these policies. This research goal was not easy to meet in case of Hungary, as there have been no relevant, large-scale policies implemented so far aiming to improve the status of the housing estates and the living condition of their residents. The interventions were limited to some projects that had an overall impact on the estates, and mostly no specific groups could be identified as beneficiaries. However, the research highlighted several interesting facts concerning the attitude of the inhabitants and their expectations, which will form a good basis for the policymakers to implement policies in the future.

The survey was carried out in May 2004 with 200-200 questionnaires filled out in both estates. The representativity of the survey was ensured not only by the relatively high percentage of the interviewed, but also by the sampling method.  So the main indicators – like household structure, type of dwellings - fitted the Census of 2001.

The first report of the RESTATE project concentrated on the structural and other factors that explain the difference between the success and failure of large post-war estates in Europe. A second series of reports dealt specifically with large housing estates in the 10 countries mentioned before. These reports elaborate descriptions of the estates in which the RESTATE research takes place can be found. In a third report the focus was on policies and practices in the estates. The present report addresses basic questions as follows: Which inhabitants profit from the developments and policies in the Havanna and Jósaváros estates? Which inhabitants experience clear disadvantages?

The main topic of the survey would have been to analyse the affect of policies that were implied in order to improve the living conditions in the estates. As it was mentioned at the beginning, there were only few actions implemented.

One interesting finding was that the effect of the few implemented policies were often hardly known by the residents. It was surprising to note that even in case of the most visible projects – such as the instalment of CCTV – half of the people had no idea about its existence. Which implies that for any successful regeneration project better communication skills are necessary from the local governments.

Finally, it was interesting to compare the problems that were mentioned with the suggestions people made for the improvement of the estates.
In general the survey pointed out that in spite of the fact, that experts foresaw a decline in the status of the housing estates, residents do not experience such a tragic trend. Although they also see the deplorable status of public spaces, still, would like to rely on municipal and state interventions mainly in connection with renewing physically their building.

Metropolitan Research Institute, Budapest
Hungary
http://www.mri.hu
Mr Iván Tosics, tel. + 36 1 217 9041

01/01/2004

Mr Iván Tosics, Mrs Éva Gerőházi and Mrs Hanna Szemző

research

Urban Policy > Housing > Housing policy

Collective housing