Project: “Research Based Arguments for New Housing Policies in Benefit of All”

News

Habitat Bulgaria is implementing the project “Research Based Arguments for New Housing Policies in Benefit of All”. The project started in October 2019 and is funded within the first call for strategic projects of Active Citizen Fund Bulgaria with the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area.

The duration of the project, which aims to support the development of adequate municipal and national housing policies and to contribute to the improvement of the housing conditions of vulnerable groups of the population, is 24 months. The project ends in September 2021.

Within the scope of the new project initiative, Habitat Bulgaria will carry out a detailed sociological research of the housing needs in the Roma communities in the town of Sliven – the district of “Nadezhda” and the village of Topolchane as well in the town of Targovishte – “Malcho Malchev” district and the village of Golyamo Novo. In parallel, Habitat Bulgaria will assess the current housing policies of the municipalities and will prepare an analytical report and recommendations. A debate and direct interventions with the public authorities and other local stakeholders will be initiated on the basis of the report to articulate municipal housing policies, programs and decrees, relevant to the real needs.

The vision, as well the goals and the measures needed for the improvement of the housing conditions, will be discussed at round table discussions with the interested stakeholders. Several local organizations will be trained to advocate for housing and housing-related issues with the local governments. The analytical report and the recommendations will be presented at a National Housing Forum to be attended by the local and the national institutions.

The project “Research Based Arguments for New Housing Policies in Benefit of All” is implemented with a financial support of 93,000 Euro, secured by Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway within the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. The main goal of the project is to contribute to the development of long-term, needs-driven municipal and national housing policies, which will secure safe and adequate housing for Roma.