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Description
The Romani people, especially those who are socially excluded, are one of the most excluded groups from the housing market. Prevention and Housing Support responds to the problem that debts on rent and services associated with the use of a municipal apartment are often resolved too late, or not resolved at all, and as a result, can lead to homelessness. The program is a prevention tool, kind of the first phase, where the early detention of debt is solved directly by the landlord – municipality in this case. Housing support is a comprehensive solution for obtaining standard municipal housing. The district of Brno - North is specific because it oversees an extensive housing department (5,286 apartments) with apartments in socially excluded localities, especially in the area of Husovice and Zábrdovice, where there is a high concentration of excluded Romani people. We are able to evaluate the situation within the structure of the municipality and provide standard and long-term municipal housing, with comprehensive support. All this with the help of partner organizations, who provide important support for Romani people in the area.
The involvement of the Roma community, together with the cooperation with the project partners, in the district decision making while providing housing, is based upon the conceptual documents of Roma Integration Strategy until 2020, Strategic Plan for Social Inclusion of the City of Brno for 2016-2019 and Social Exclusion Strategy for 2016-2020.
Summary of project results
The "Housing Loss Prevention and Housing Support" project implemented from 2021 to 2024 in the Brno-North Municipal District responded to the problem of rent arrears and services associated with the use of a municipal apartment. The project "Prevention of loss of housing and support for housing" became the first phase for the solution of early capture of indebtedness directly by the landlord - the municipality. Realized housing support is a comprehensive solution to obtain standard housing.The "Housing Loss Prevention and Housing Support" project implemented from 2021 to 2024 in the Brno-North Municipal District responded to the problem of rent arrears and services associated with the use of a municipal apartment. The project "Prevention of loss of housing and support for housing" became the first phase for the solution of early capture of indebtedness directly by the landlord - the municipality. Realized housing support is a comprehensive solution to obtain standard housing.
The project targeted socially excluded tenants, single mothers, seniors, and tenants with mental diagnoses. Reasons for indebtedness included delays in housing benefits or other income, inflation impact, and unexpected life situations. A total of 785 Roma were affected by the project work.
As part of all activities, the following indicators were achieved: 4 full-time jobs of Roma advisors were created, a complete team who underwent accredited training, two partnership agreements were concluded, a subsection was created on the town hall''s website, two conferences were organized, 10,000 leaflets were printed, 15 articles were published in Severník.
Accompanying clients to personal meetings at the authorities was evaluated very positively as part of the field work. This was manifested not only in greater satisfaction of clients, but also of officials of individual offices, which was also reflected in a higher number of properly completed and processed requests and actions.
Four tenders were announced for the positions of housing adviser, debt adviser, adviser for DROM, adviser for IQ Roma. The team consisted of two women in the position of adviser for DROM and debt adviser. In addition, two men in the position of housing consultant and consultant for IQ Roma service. Another benefit also seen in the role is that two of the advisors are Roma. Statistical data from the project is available in the attached table.