Integrative co-housing projects for social inclusion in Hungary

Zsófia Glatz

NHR Colloquium Workshop: Economic and social approaches to housing public policyENHR 2015 Lisbon

1 Introduction1.1 State of Art1.2 Goals1.3 Definitions1.4 Hypothesis1.5 Research questions

2 Methodology and data

3 Current Situation - Hungary3.1 Economy3.2 Demography3.3 Housing3.4 Social Service System

4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion4.1 Indicators4.2 Community-based initiatives

5 Bottom-up movements and co-housing5.1 Co-housing in Europe5.2 Integrative co-housing in Europe5.3 Bottom-up movements in Hungary5.4 Co-housing in Hungary

6 Discussion

7 Conclusion

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

DLADoctor of Liberal ArtsBudapest, Hungary

ownership vs. rentingHungary

housing problems lower strata

social estrangement

participative design

right for housing

horizontal socialconnections

social responsibility

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

MASMaster of Advanced Studies

Zürich, Switzerland

community-based housing formsshared economy

new financial models

co-housing

conscious social support

direct democracy"laboratory"

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

State of Art - Hungary

social estrangement

out-dated housing typologies

ageing society

85% private property vs rental

Problem

risk of homelessness

Social Service System

Existing Solutions

over-caring hosuing model

design for severe problems

no medial solution

Social housing -dependent from state

Potential Solution

independent from state support

OPTIMAL Solution

community-based

proper living conditions

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Purpose of the researchIntroduce the idea of co-housing in HungaryPoint out the main indicators of social exclusionPoint out the alternative, community-based housing solutionsFind the special characteristics of integrative co-housing projectsFind an alternative model which can be implemented in Hungary

NOW

FUTURE

Definition of relevant phrasesBOOOORING.....

HypothesisIntegrative co-housing projects can be a potential tool for social inclusion in Hungary -supplementing the existing social service system with bottom-up co-housing models andsocial cooperation.

Research questionsHow can co-housing projects serve as a potential tool for social inclusion in Hungary?Do integrative co-housing projects have a ground to be established in Hungary?What are the main indicators of social exclusion / inclusion? Where is housing in this process?What are the main characteristics of the integrative co-housing projects?What are the main steps of promoting co-housing in Hungary?

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Methodology and dataqualitativeliterature basedstatisticsstudy analyseshistorical researchinterviews

Research books (Bence Komlósi, 2015)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Current situation - HungaryEconomyslow recovery after the crisiskey vulnerability - high foreign currencyindebtednessindebtedness is a common phenomena - ownership-culture - high housing prices - distrust towards rental dwellings

2008: 1 CHF = 150 HUF2009: 1 CHF = 180 HUF2010: 1 CHF = 200 HUF2011: 1 CHF = 220 HUF2012: 1 CHF = 240 HUF2013: 1 CHF = 240 HUF2014: 1 CHF = 250 HUF...2015: 1 CHF = 300 HUF

thousands had to sell or leave their homes

State SolutionSocial housing project - Ócsareachable for 350 residents

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

CHF and HUF exchange rate 2008-2014 (Béla Szabadi, 2014)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Current situation - HungaryDemographic changessimilar as in whole Europe - ageing societynew family models - single-parent and patchwork families

old-fashioned neighbourhood relationships are vanishing

risk of poverty and isolation- elderly people and single parents- women- people with activity limitations- children

Risk of poverty or social exclusion rate (Eurostat, 2013)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Current situation - HungaryHousing conditionsbiggest influence of the crisisbuilding permits for residential housing dropped

housing typologies based on average needsno solution for special needs

housing market - profit oriented, prefers mass production

ownership-culturehigh housing pricesdistrust towards rental dwellingsthousands had to sell or leave their homesSocial housing project - Ócsareachable for 350 residents

Social housing Ócsa (Ócsa, 2015)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Current situation - HungarySocial Service System

Housing solutions designed for severe problems - residential homes - homeless shelters - care houses

no medial solution for "moderate" needs:"For those who were living according to the social norms but lost their homes or for lonely,isolated people this model does not give a chance to reintegrate or to avoid segregation."

biggest drawback of the system: it does not spur one to step out of itmost important step of social inclusion: prevent getting into the service system

For long-term and sustainable social inclusion:

independent from state supportcommunity-based

proper living conditions

long-term and non-segregated housing model is needed

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Social exclusion / Social inclusionThe main indicators

The main factors leading to social exclusion: - being at-risk-of-poverty - facing severe material deprivation - living in a household with very low work intensity

The case of Hungary in numbers - being at-risk-of-poverty - 32.4 % - facing severe material deprivation - 22.0 % - household with very low work intensity - 12.0 %

Indicators of at-risk-of-poverty (Eurostat, 2015)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Social exclusion / Social inclusionCommunity-based initiatives to support social inclusion

Institutions- segregate- process people in groups and discourage individuality- work on a hierarchic structure- have scheduled activities like eating and impose mass treatment

Community-based or deinstitutionalized initiatives- help marginalized people in social inclusion- help people in risk to avoid social exclusion- are based on the power of the community- participation in the life of the community- offer flexible and personal assistance if needed- diverse target group

Find shelter by families (20 Minuten, 2015)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Bottom-up movements and co-housing in Europe and in HungaryCo-housing in Europe

more than a hundred years of tradition in Western-Europebottom-up initiatedself-manageddirect democratic structureinitiated by the future residentsgive answers to real housing needsnon-profitaffordableindependent from political decisions

co-housing countries: eg. Switzerland, Austria or DenmarkMain motifs:cultural- and socio-political dissatisfactionseeking possibilities for affordable and self-managed housingdemographic changes

Communal meal at Drejerbanken, Denmark (Drejerbanken, 2015)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Bottom-up movements and co-housing in Europe and in HungaryIntegrative co-housing in Europe

Co-housing developments always function along common goals.Goals can be:sharing housekeeping tasks and joystaking social responsibilitysupporting the integration of people in risk of social exclusionConscious support of social integration:Solidarity fund: tenants pay an extra percentage of the rental fee - Karthago, SwitzerlandReserve flats for families in need - Sargfabrik, AustriaSpecial target groups:50+womensingle-parent familiesThe more diverse the community of a co-housing is,the better it functions./old-fashioned neighbourhood relationships/

Karthago, Zürich (Karthago, 2015)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Bottom-up movements and co-housing in Europe and in HungaryBottom-up movements in Hungary

barely 25-year-old democratic traditionbottom-up movement is a young phenomenonbeen repressed during the socialist regimenew generation

Critical MassCommunity GardensCo-working...

I BIKE BP (Critical Mass Hungary, 2015)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Bottom-up movements and co-housing in Europe and in HungaryCo-housing in Hungary

only bottom-up initiated collective housing in Miskolc 1979 - 1989privatisation caused its end

1989-1990 Hungary became a democratic countrydistrust towards social policies (housing)top-down forced cooperatives

How to make people trust and believe in co-housing?PROMOTION + INFORMATION

‘Community Living’ initiative was started in 2012introduce co-housing in Hungarytailor-made informationpersonal guidance

first initiators ‘Rákóczi Kollektíva’

Community Living (Community Living, 2015)

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

DiscussionHungaryslow recovery after the crisisnumerous social and housing problemshigh percentage in risk of social exclusion

social housing possibilities are limiteddrawbacks of institutionalisation“The purpose of housing is therefore to allow us to take the responsibility to live our livesaccording to the choices we have made to meet our legitimate interest." (King, 2006)

Optimal housing modelindependent from state supportcommunity-basedproper living conditions

Co-housing projects as possible solution in Western-EuropeHow to implement the phenomenon in Hungary?PROMOTION + INFORMATIONCo-housing movements will have place in Hungary.

HypothesisIntegrative co-housing projects can be a potential tool for social inclusion in Hungary -supplementing the existing social service system with bottom-up co-housing models andsocial cooperation.

1 Introduction 2 Methodology and data 3 Current Situation - Hungary 4 Social exclusion / Social inclusion 5 Bottom-up movements / co-housing 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion

Conclusion

The main contribution of my paper is that realising the power of community and theimportance of prevention in the topic of social exclusion is crucial. After analysing thediscussed examples and data, one could say that a possible solution for sustainable andeffective social inclusion is given. Integrative co-housing projects may play an important rolein the fight against social exclusion. Keeping people in community, avoidinginstitutionalisation and encouraging them to participate in everyday tasks may be the key toprevention.

Thank you for your attention!