intervention strategies for renovation of social housing estates

Physical measures for renovation of social housing estates Chapter 8
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organization will have the objective to generate a positive financial return for its
mother shareholder. Furthermore, the transfer of the stock from the social mother
organization to the commercial daughter could be partly financed from private loans,
based on a part of the market value of the transferred stock, thereby making extra
funding available to the mother organization within a relatively short period.
The risks of those directions might be related to the introduction of more marketoriented
housing policy in the social rented sector. This could lead to social problems.
Thus, the political parties in Lazio should balance additional financial support of ATER
against the potential danger of introducing market principles in its operations.
IMPLEMENTATION OF RENOVATION
How can high-level and envelope directed renovation be implemented in Italy?
Ad-hoc regulations for transformation of existing housing blocks.
Social housing in Italy is regulated by specific laws that are different from the ones
regarding housing in the private sector. These regulations fix, for example, minimum
size and number of rooms per dwellings. Therefore, transformations like the increase
of building volume (cubature), housing differentiation and transformation of initial
functions are in principle very difficult to be achieved (see Dutch examples of
additions, combinations and transformations in Chapter 4, 5 and 6). High-level and
envelope directed renovation could be carried out only if special regulations and
processes for approval are defined (pers. com. Arch. Barucci – project leader of
Laurentino 38 and architect of the Technical Department of ATER).
For whom are dwellings to be renovated? Are they only for low-income people or also for
other groups like middle income households, elderly, students, young couples and so on?
Differentiate the housing supply to meet the requirements of specific
target groups.
Social housing in Italy needs to be updated to meet current requirements. The actual
layout of dwellings defined by the standards of the ‘60s does not fit the demand
anymore (for example in terms of type, size and number of rooms). By transforming
the existing housing units, the current supply can be differentiated to be affordable
to wider groups (different households and income level). Social and market analysis
could help in finding the right target groups thus managing differentiation to meet
actual requirements.
Weaknesses and strengths of implementing measures directed to improving housing
differentiation were discussed in the previous section (see Section 8.1.4). Among the
major strengths are: extension of free choice, housing career in the neighbourhood,
higher care of people when shifting from social rented to homeownership, higher
returns for the housing association if dwellings sold at market prices, make use of
unused shared spaces and reduce their expenses for maintenance, better liveability
and social safety when improving the close surroundings (less abandonment or
improper use), For what concerns care of goods it has not be scientifically proven
that people do care more about owned private goods than rented goods. Rather, is
this general belief used in a lot of places to create money for the interventions. The
same goes for the shift to more expensive rental dwellings.
Main weakness can be: difficulties in mixing very different groups (income levels),
increase of criminality figures when adding dwellings at the ground floor and lack of
privacy. Regarding the feasibility limitations might derive from the local regulations,
the actual physical condition of the building, the need of additional technical facilities
(like elevators in the case of op-toppen) and management of the works (like move of
residents).
How to reduce insecurity of open spaces nearby the blocks?
Combine housing differentiation with reduction of uncontrolled public
spaces.
Renovation on building level can also improve the physical and social conditions of
the open spaces nearby the block. The ‘F’ neighbourhood in the Bijlmermeer is a
good example in which the conditions of the public green surrounding the building
have been improved (see Chapter 6). This was achieved by attaching ‘maisonette
with small garden’ (and non-residential facilities) at the ground floor of the existing
high-rise and by increasing the actual housing density of the area by new
13. H
IMPLEMENTATION OF
RENOVATION