Housing Solutions Platform is an initiative which aims to identify, debate and promote innovative solutions for affordable housing in Europe. It was established with joint efforts of FEANTSA, the Fondation Abbé Pierre, Friends of Europe and Housing Europe. Last year, they published “50-Out-of-the-box Solutions to Homelessness and Housing Exclusion” which is a collection of some of the most innovative and daring examples of housing solutions in Europe. We very much appreciate that Housing Solutions Platform recognized REELIH project and included it as an example of best practice in this publication.
This year, among hosting other roundtable discussions and webinars, Housing Solutions Platform prepared a series of three webinars under name #50Solutions:
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#50Solutions Online Training 1: The Example of Faith-Based Organisations
- #50Solutions Webinar 2: Alternative Forms of Land and Property Ownership
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#50Solutions Webinar 3: For a Green Recovery that Leaves No-one Behind
The series of webinars touches upon topics connected to current events, such as response to COVID-19 crisis in relation to homeless and vulnerable groups, and the European Green Deal. The first webinar talks about the challenges that came with the pandemic situation and the emergent need for support of the most vulnerable people who suffer the most from the housing difficulties. The second and the third webinar showcase some of the 50-out-of-the-box solutions under two thematic discussions. The second webinar promoted discussion about the alternative forms of land and property ownership.
The last webinar was organized in the context of the European Green Deal and freshly introduced Renovation Wave Strategy, which ambition is to trigger massive building renovation as a contribution to climate neutrality, mandatory minimum energy performance standards and affordable housing initiatives. The projects presented during the last webinar of this series combine social and ecological objectives in their initiatives. We are very glad that we could present REELIH learnings during this session, together with French project Toits d’Abord by Fondation Abbé Pierre and Flemish project Sustainability Through Energy-Effective Retrofit by VVH – Association of Flemish Social Housing.
The webinar offered a fruitful discussion on topics of undergoing the renovation process and energy efficiency improvements in lower-income households and vulnerable groups both through private and public funding. The special thanks belongs also to Julien Dijol from Housing Europe who reflected on all three presented projects in relation to the Renovation Wave Strategy. He acknowledges the specific intention of the Renovation Wave to support especially Eastern European states and its multi-apartment buildings. This is aimed to be done mostly through the technical support and creation of one-stop-shops where entities, such as municipalities or public housing companies, could act on behalf of homeowner associations and serve its purpose as community facilitators in a way.
If you missed the webinar, you can follow up by watching the recording from the event available on Housing Solutions Platform website.