Description
The project Civil Observatory: housing policy deals with public scrutiny of implementation by local governments in Warsaw, Kraków and Poznań of the policy of effective use of housing resources, and with monitoring of activities taken to remedy deep deficits in this area. The Project:Polska Foundation also want to control the implementation of innovative mechanisms of managing housing resources, in a way that not only leads to maximum profits but also helps to meet social needs. The project objective is to perform monitoring and control of, and interventions in activities of central and local government bodies in the field of implementation of housing policy. Based on surveys, they will prepare a list of recommendations. One of the main aims of the project is to implement the recommendations. The project will be realised by a watchdog network created by local coordinators and volunteers from Warsaw, Kraków and Poznań. The project will be realised with partners: Forum Od-nowa Association and Warsaw Development Forum.
Summary of project results
The main problem in housing policies consists in both the deficit of flats and the inadequate management of business premises on the ground floors of buildings. Strategic planning is lacking that would enhance availability of housing premises, and new projects are ineffective. The deficit of premises leads to many social problems. Many ground floor premises are owned by public institutions and are badly managed in planning procedures. The aim of the project was to improve the quality of housing policies in selected cities. Strategic documents concerning housing and business premises policies were analysed, as well as the available quantitative data concerning housing and business premises in Warsaw, Łódź, Kraków and Stargard Szczeciński. 13 interviews were conducted with officers responsible for housing policies on the central and municipal levels. Answers were received for 20 applications for public information filed in district and city halls. Based on conclusions from research and analyses performed, recommendations were developed for law-makers, as well as strategic recommendations that were forwarded to MPs and government representatives. The report and other publications prepared during the implementation of the project reached in all about 4800 persons. In addition, a watchdog network was built gathering about 20 organisations monitoring the progress in municipalities of implementing the recommendations, and universal methods for civil control of local housing policies were popularised. Workshops were organised on housing policies in Warsaw, Kraków and Łódź, as well as a debate on housing policy in Warsaw - the events gathered almost 180 persons. An Internet page and a Facebook profile were launched. The project increased the social awareness in the field of housing policies - information and materials on the problems related to housing policies in Poland reached about 15 thousand persons. In addition, a permanent cooperation was started between organisations. The project partners participated in working meetings of the team and in works concerning each product. The Od-Nowa Forum helped to contact the organisations interested in housing policies, the Warsaw Development Forum brought especially valuable contribution in the field of housing policy and land planning.
Summary of bilateral results