Making the Private Rental Sector Responsible – Some Lessons from Ghent (Belgium)

European Research ConferenceAccess to Housing for Homeless People in Europe

York, 21st September 2012

Making the Private Rental Sector Responsible - Some Lessons

from Ghent (B)Maarten Davelaar,

Verwey-Jonker Institute (NL)

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Content Homelessness & housing Some characteristics on homelessness &

housing in Flanders & Ghent Making the private sector responsible:

instruments Challenges & Strengths (= potential for

transferability)



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



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



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)



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



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



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



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



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?



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



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



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Making the Private Rental Sector Responsible – Some Lessons from Ghent (Belgium)

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