Regenerating housing estates

The Housing Authority’s mission statement clearly defines its vision, goals, policies and strategies: ‘Decent housing strengthens communities and provides a better setting in which to raise our children’.

Through various schemes and initiatives over the years, the authority has offered accommodation to various young couples; has supported the elderly, single parents, people with disabilities or with mobility problems and assisted citizens and families with actual or potential social or economic vulnerability.

The authority is seeking to usher in a new mentality that will ultimately enhance government housing estates and their surroundings, with the aim of giving residents a better quality of life.

During a press conference last month, Housing Minister Dolores Cristina and Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said, who is responsible for local councils, launched two new schemes by the Housing Authority – regeneration of the housing estates’ surrounding areas and a plan for the maintenance of the common parts within the estates over a six-year period.

By ‘regeneration’, the authority is not subscribing to a lip service exercise but concretely intends to give a new lease of life to housing estates and their immediate surroundings.

The authority firmly holds that where and how people live affect the whole community. Social literature and empirical studies have shown over and over again that substandard environment produces a substandard quality of life.

Consequently, children from substandard backgrounds are prone to social vulnerability. Once these children become adults, the possibility of having them depend on social services is more probable. Subsequently, regeneration of the physical surroundings is to be encouraged and considered a priority.

For the next six years, the Housing Authority will be investing €675,000 annually. In close collaboration with local councils, it is encouraging regeneration: accessibility of housing estates; embellishments of open spaces and surroundings; providing of adequate external lighting in semi-public or pedestrian areas; waste management facilities; playing fields or other leisure-related spaces; traffic management and energy-saving initiatives.

Through these embellishments, residents can have a better environment and a better quality of life.

However, physical embellishment is not enough to regenerate neighbourhoçods and to strengthen communities to enhance quality of life. Educational programmes are necessary to give regeneration a holistic dimension.

To this end, this scheme encourages councils not only to propose physical initiatives of the surroundings but also requests educational proposals. Such initiatives are to be addressed to the residents of housing estates. By educational programmes, communities are empowered to ensure that physical, social, cultural and economic needs are met.

The main objectives of these educational programmes need to address the various social difficulties experienced by the community so that a healthier neighbourhood mentality is created or revived.

Discussions with local mayors showed that such estates often experience difficulties, such as social exclusion and criminal activity. Community-related activities may involve empowerment programmes that can provide capacity building to residents to start forming associations, parent and child activities, recreational programmes, improvement of and accessibility to cultural amenities, educational activities and helping families with budget management.

The second scheme is more ambitious since the authority is encouraging a shift in mentality. In collaboration with councils, the authority is initiating a six-year plan for maintenance of the common parts of each housing estate.

The annual budget allocated is €1 million – €6 million over six years. There are currently 1,209 housing estates in 52 localities, including 20 in Gozo. Each estate is made up of an average of six to eight apartments, bringing the total number to 6,853 government housing apartments.

The aim of the authority is to start a programme with the councils’ help to ensure that maintenance of the common parts of each estate is carried out. Common parts include boundary walls, common entrance, common stairs, façades, spalling, roof maintenance, drainage system and apertures.

It is the intention of this scheme to bring façade uniformity, particularly where different colour schemes are used. Certain irregularities will also be removed (in particular at roof level). These hinder the common good of residents and is often the source of misunderstandings and arguments.

Once maintenance has been accomplished within the established timeframe and verified by housing estate staff, residents will be asked to elect a resident as administrator to ensure regular and preventive measures of maintenance and good management.

Although this entails a new mentality, it gives residents a bigger sense of ownership, pride, sense of belonging, cleaner environment and development of responsibility.

Residents should see their homes as starting from the main entrance rather than from their private apartment door.

The authority will also be launching an educational campaign to help residents ‘learn’ the implications of living in a communal setting.

While the authority appreciates the good work and the councils’ serious commitment, it looks forward to start implementing the schemes with the ultimate aim of making housing estates a better, safer and healthier environment to live in.

Dr Buttigieg is CEO, Housing Authority.