The Gold World Habitat Awards 2024 Winners are:

Housing Rights in Jakarta: Collective Action and Policy Advocacy

A remarkable project in Jakarta, Indonesia, involving a group of informal settlement (kampung) residents has won a Gold World Habitat Award for its inspiring story of community resilience and collective action. Despite facing the constant threat of forced evictions, kampung communities in partnership with grassroots organisations have successfully fought back and secured their right to housing. Their efforts have resulted in the prevention of evictions, the return of evicted families to their homes, and city-wide regulatory changes that safeguard all kampung residents from forced evictions.

Energiesprong: Revolutionizing Home Retrofitting

Energiesprong, a pioneering project from the Netherlands, has been awarded a Gold World Habitat Award for its revolutionary approach to deep net-zero retrofitting. This innovative system uses prefabricated insulated wall and roof panels along with a range of smart green technologies to achieve a remarkable 70-80% reduction in a building’s energy consumption. Since its inception in 2011, Energiesprong has implemented over 10,000 projects, specifically in the area of social housing, across seven countries in Europe and North America.

Maimunah Mohd Sharif, UN-Habitat Executive Director and a final judge of the World Habitat Awards, said:

“Both initiatives represent a strong innovative response to two overlapping challenges, including housing and climate change. Going beyond a vision of housing as four walls and a roof, they touch upon social justice, human rights and community empowerment. I would like to commend Housing Rights in Jakarta for its multi-organisational partnership and the involvement of the community from the start, as well as the decision to use both a policy and political approach to drive strong change in the narrative towards the neighbourhood and its inhabitants. We also appreciate the development of a cooperative mechanism covering the land, to reduce speculation and strengthen tenure security.

“On the other hand, I applaud Energiesprong for its cost-effective, tenant-friendly approach to delivering deep, net zero housing retrofits. This programme stands out for its off-site manufacturing of insulated panels that are quickly installed on-site, which translates into minimal disruption to tenants. Importantly it addresses the potential risks posed by the energy transition, mitigating inequalities, housing loss and displacement.

“We would also like to commend the choice of two initiatives that are linking operational activities with advocacy efforts to produce long-lasting sustainable policy changes.”

Leilani Farha, Global Director of The Shift and a final judge of the World Habitat Awards, said:

“Housing Rights in Jakarta is a fantastic project providing a space for residents at risk of eviction or who have been evicted to advocate for significant legal and political change. The project is firmly rooted in a rights approach with its focus on systemic change, community engagement and security of tenure. These are cornerstone aspects of the right to housing. I note that community engagement is often not effectively centred in housing work, so I was particularly impressed with this aspect of the project.

“In light of the climate emergency and the role of the built environment in it, retrofitting older buildings to be net zero is exactly the kind of activity the planet desperately needs and that low income tenants will benefit from (lower energy costs). Energiesprong has created a scalable solution that is sustainable, cost-effective and energy efficient. The model also has ensured minimal disruptions for tenants, making it a very practical solution that maintains security of tenure, particularly important for low-income households, who are the focus of this project. I note also that this project has the potential to be scalable.”

David Ireland, Chief Executive of World Habitat, said:

“This year’s Gold Award winners inspired us with their pioneering approaches to addressing the challenges of climate change and tenure insecurity, and we look forward to working with them this year.

“The Housing Rights in Jakarta project has managed to build the confidence of at-risk communities and equip them with the tools, knowledge and solidarity network they need to demand the housing rights they are entitled to.

“Energiesprong is a best-practice retrofit, which reaps the benefits of standardisation but is also flexible in product delivery. It offers social housing providers an innovative, fast and cost-effective solution for improving the energy efficiency of older buildings, which in turn benefits tenants financially and improves their quality of life.”

The Silver World Habitat Award 2024 Winners are:

Government of Chile Rural Habitability Programme: Improving Livelihoods in Remote Chilean Communities

The Chilean Government’s Rural Habitability Programme has been recognised for its significant impact in addressing the critical housing needs of remote communities across the country. Since the programme began, it has improved the lives of over 40,000 people by building or renovating over 10,000 homes in remote Chilean communities.

La Ciguë: Affordable Student Housing in Geneva

La Ciguë, a student housing cooperative in Geneva, Switzerland, scooped the Award for its pioneering approach to providing affordable student housing. Since its inception in 1986, La Ciguë has been steadily expanding its portfolio, managing nearly 740 rooms in prime city centre locations and providing much-needed financial relief to students.

The Bronze World Habitat Award Winners are:

CO-HATY Emergency Housing Project: Shelter for Internally Displaced People in Ukraine

The CO-HATY emergency housing project in Ukraine has been recognised in this year’s awards for its innovative approach to providing shelter for internally displaced people (IDPs). The project converts abandoned buildings into temporary accommodation for IDPs, offering a much-needed lifeline in a country grappling with the effects of an ongoing war and a severe shortage of affordable housing.

DARAJA Weather Forecasting Service: Saving Lives in Informal Settlements

The DARAJA weather forecasting and early warning service in Kenya and Tanzania receives the award for its innovative approach to preparing residents of informal settlements for extreme weather events. The service provides regular, reliable weather information and response actions in accessible formats, empowering communities to prepare for the growing incidents of extreme weather events caused by climate change.

Nettelbeckplatz: Sustainable, Affordable, and Accessible Housing in Berlin

Berlin’s Nettelbeckplatz affordable housing estate received its award for its remarkable transformation from an ageing residential complex into a vibrant and sustainable community. The project has given the building a new lease of life, incorporating energy-efficient measures, improving accessibility, and attracting a diverse mix of residents.

New Ground Cohousing Community: A Supportive Environment for Older Adults

The UK’s first cohousing community for women, New Ground, has been awarded a Bronze Award for its ground-breaking model of community living. This innovative approach provides a supportive environment for older adults, enabling them to thrive and age with dignity.

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A ground-breaking international project that retrofits old buildings to significantly reduce energy use has been awarded the prestigious Gold World Habitat Award. This award recognises the project’s innovative and financially sustainable approach to addressing climate change and improving energy efficiency in the building sector.

The Energy Challenge of Old Buildings

Old buildings play a major role in the climate crisis. They are responsible for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as being uncomfortable and expensive to live in. However, retrofitting old buildings to improve their energy efficiency is often costly and time-consuming.

A Holistic Solution

The Energiesprong project was developed to overcome these challenges. The system itself is revolutionary, combining prefabricated insulated wall and roof panels along with a range of smart green technologies. These prefabricated panels are directly attached to the existing building structure, which significantly expedites the construction process and minimizes disruptions for residents. The in-country teams also support organisations to follow the Energiesprong idea and with financial and regulatory challenges, helping them to overcome potential stumbling blocks and implement a system unique to their needs.

Cost-effective, Sustainable and Transferable Retrofits

Energiesprong retrofits can be completed in as little as seven to ten days. They can achieve a remarkable 70-80% reduction in a building’s energy consumption, whilst generating their own energy through integrated renewable technology. Increasingly, the retrofits also use bio-based materials which have a smaller carbon footprint than traditional materials. To date, the Energiesprong Global Alliance has helped to implement over 10,000 projects across seven countries in Europe and North America, demonstrating its replicability in different contexts.

Recognition for Climate Impact

The project’s Gold Award at the World Habitat Awards underscores its clear and efficient approach to addressing the climate, financial and regulatory challenges posed by old housing stock. It can also help to mitigate the effects of the cost-of-living and energy crises for tenants on low incomes.

Quotes

• Maimunah Modh Sharif, Executive Director of UN Habitat: “I applaud Energiesprong for its cost-effective, tenant-friendly approach to deep, net-zero housing retrofits. Importantly, it addresses the potential risks posed by the energy transition, mitigating inequalities, housing loss and displacement.”
• Leilani Farha, Global Director of The Shift: “The model has ensured minimal disruptions for tenants, making it a very practical solution that maintains security of tenure, particularly important for low-income households, who are the focus of this project.”
• David Ireland, CEO of World Habitat: Energiesprong is a best-practice retrofit, which reaps the benefits of standardisation but is also flexible in product delivery.”
• Sanne de Wit, Energiesprong: “We are very proud of winning this award and we look forward to learning from the other awarded projects. We hope that this award can help us realize our new ambitions; setting up new value chains for construction, where we now also work together with farmers to develop bio-based building materials.”
• Resident beneficiary of a retrofit from Nottingham UK: “I would honestly say you’d be absolutely nuts not to have this done. It is a world of difference. It’s incomparable how bad this house was before. Now I can’t moan about anything.”

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In a remarkable display of determination, a group of kampung residents in Jakarta, Indonesia, under the banner of ‘Housing Rights in Jakarta: Collective Action and Policy Advocacy’*, has successfully fought back against forced evictions and secured their right to housing. Their inspiring story has earned them a Gold World Habitat Award, a prestigious recognition for innovative and effective housing solutions that promote social inclusion and sustainable development.

Kampungs: A Community Under Threat

Kampungs, as informal settlements are known in Indonesia, are home to thousands of low-income families who have made their homes and set up businesses in these communities. For decades, they have faced the constant threat of eviction, often portrayed by politicians as a barrier to the city’s development.

The 2015 Evictions: A Catalyst for Change

In 2015, these fears became a reality for more than 10,000 families who were forcibly removed from their homes by the city government. Refusing to accept this fate, a group of kampung residents, with the support of grassroots organizations, launched the project ‘Housing Rights in Jakarta: Collective Action and Policy Advocacy’*. This initiative aimed to achieve legal and political changes that would protect their right to remain in their neighbourhoods and improve their living conditions.

A Model for Community Empowerment

Through a combination of community collaboration, political advocacy, and network development, the project achieved remarkable success. It prevented the evictions of 256 people in three riverbank kampungs and helped 400 evicted families return to their neighbourhoods to live in new apartments. The project also challenged negative public perceptions of informal settlements and spearheaded city-wide regulatory changes that now safeguard all kampung residents from forced evictions.

Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat commented ” I would like to commend housing rights in Jakarta for its multi organisational partnership and the involvement of the community from the start, as well as the decision to use both a policy and political approach to drive strong change in the narrative towards the neighbourhood and its inhabitants.”

Leilani Farha, Global Director of The Shift said “Housing Rights in Jakarta is a fantastic project providing a space for residents at risk of eviction or who have been evicted to advocate for significant legal and political change.”

David Ireland, CEO of World Habitat explained “The project has managed to build the confidence of at-risk communities and equip them with the tools, knowledge and solidarity network they need to demand the housing rights they are entitled to.”

Gugun Muhammad, Jakarta Urban Poor People’s Network added “The results of the housing policy advocacy movement in Jakarta go beyond matters of how poor people can have decent homes but also result in collaboration between city residents across classes, across generations and various professions.”

*The full title of the consortium is Jaringan Rakyat Miskin Kota Jakarta, Rujak Center for Urban Studies and Urban Poor Consortium.

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Rural-to-Urban Migration Strains Urban Centres and Undermines Rural Productivity

In the past, government initiatives for housing and infrastructure primarily benefited urban Chileans, whilst remoteness and lack of funding have discouraged private contractors from building homes in rural areas. These factors have trapped many residents in substandard housing without basic amenities like electricity, heating, or sanitation and have exacerbated rural-to-urban migration, potentially hindering rural productivity and the national economy.

Unprecedented Funding for the National Emergency Housing Plan

Although the rural housing programme launched in 2015, it wasn’t until 2022 that the Chilean Government under President Gabriel Boric, implemented an Emergency Housing Plan backed by government investment. The Plan seeks to address the nationwide shortage of adequate housing, with the Rural Habitability Programme playing a key role in this effort.

Empowering Sustainable Remote and Indigenous Communities

The Rural Habitability Program provides substantial funding and technical assistance to individuals in remote communities, enabling them to build new homes, enhance existing ones and create productive areas for income-generating activity. It prioritises low-income households, the elderly, the vulnerable and those in very remote locations, as well as indigenous Chileans. The government is investing approximately $22 million USD to build 360 culturally relevant homes for indigenous groups with funding also going into the development of renewable energy and prefabrication technologies to expedite planning, engineering and building works.

The Rural Habitability Programme demonstrates the government’s dedication to bridging the housing gap and fostering sustainable development in remote areas, an area traditionally neglected across Latin America. Its success not only enhances the livelihoods of individuals but also strengthens rural economies and contributes to the growth of the nation as a whole.

Carlos Montes, Minister for Housing and Urban Issues, Government of Chile: “The Housing Emergency Plan, entrusted to us by President Boric, is not merely a project to build 260,000 homes; it shows a commitment to achieving territorial equity and social justice across every corner of our nation. From the desert areas of the north to the agricultural valleys and forested mountain ranges of the centre and south, from the island territories to the extreme cold of the southern zones, the State has once again been present, providing quality housing solutions”

Patricio Escobar, Head of the Rural Habitability Programme: “We are delighted to receive this award because it recognises the efforts of the government of Gabriel Boric in delivering 10,000 or the 20,00 housing solutions that have been pending since 2016, in the most isolated areas of the country.”

David Ireland, CEO of World Habitat: “This programme illustrates how a government can effectively reach remote populations and provide high-quality housing, investing in livelihoods beyond the creation of physical spaces.”

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National weather agencies, Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) and Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA), were key to the DARAJA service being implemented. In addition, informal settlement communities, supported by KDI Kenya and CCI Tanzania were heavily involved in the design of the DARAJA service. DARAJA is run by global social enterprise, Resurgence, in partnership with a wide network of local organisations.

Empowering Communities to Prepare for Extreme Weather

DARAJA, which means ‘bridge’ in Swahili, provides regular, reliable weather information and response actions in accessible and easy-to-understand formats for residents of informal settlements.

Since its launch in September 2018, DARAJA has provided almost 1 million people in Kenya and Tanzania with better weather information. The service has led to well evidenced reductions in climate loss and damage to communities and generated a significant increase in household repairs made in response to weather forecasts, with a 300% increase in Nairobi and a 122% increase in Dar es Salaam.

Expanding Reach and Adapting to Diverse Needs

The DARAJA service is now expanding, supported by the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER), to Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia. It is also being adapted for use in small island states, where communities face unique challenges related to rising sea levels and extreme weather events. The project aims to provide its services to 25% of the 1 billion people living in informal settlements worldwide by 2030. By empowering communities with knowledge and preparedness, DARAJA is contributing to a more resilient future for the most vulnerable populations.

Recognition for an Outstanding Climate Resilient Initiative

The World Habitat Awards recognize and highlight innovative, outstanding, and revolutionary housing ideas, projects, and programs from across the world. The award for DARAJA underscores the importance of community-driven solutions to climate change adaptation.

Mark Harvey, CEO and Founder of Resurgence: “Resurgence and its partners, KDI Kenya and CCI Tanzania, are delighted to receive a World Habitat Award. It’s a great validation of our collaborative approach to enabling residents in informal settlements to protect themselves and their housing and property from escalating climate hazards.”

James Kirika, KDI ­Kenya staffer and DARAJA community leader: “DARAJA came through as a saviour to peop­le’s lives and how they were living. And it has prevented them from losing their propert­y and losing their lives.”

David Ireland, Chief Executive of World Habitat: “DARAJA provides a unique service that allows those most vulnerable to climate impacts to protect themselves and their homes. It has made forecasting intelligible and opened a channel for different stakeholders and community members toimprove their living situation in informal settlements.”

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A Pioneering Solution

In the 1980s, in response to the growing housing crisis, a group of determined students and housing advocates launched La Ciguë, a non-profit cooperative dedicated to providing affordable housing for students. Since its inception, La Ciguë has flourished, expanding its portfolio to manage nearly 740 rooms in prime city centre locations and becoming the world’s largest self-managed student housing cooperative.

Repurposing vacant housing

Around 60% of La Ciguë’s rooms are situated in shared apartments within vacant properties leased from public entities and private landlords. The remaining 40% are within eight purpose-built properties developed by the cooperative. By extending the life of empty properties, as well as adhering to rigorous energy-efficiency standards in new buildings, La Ciguë’s approach is both environmentally and financially sustainable.

Affordability at the Core

Rents for its rooms are typically 55% lower than open market rates, providing much-needed financial relief to students. This affordability is achieved through La Ciguë’s non-profit status, ensuring that any surplus funds are reinvested into future housing projects or solidarity initiatives that support vulnerable individuals both locally and internationally.

A Model to be Replicated

The World Habitat Awards recognise and highlight innovative, outstanding and revolutionary housing ideas, projects, and programs. La Ciguë’s exemplary approach to affordable student housing serves as a model for other student housing cooperatives around the world. Its impact extends beyond providing affordable housing; it actively contributes to making Geneva a more equitable, inclusive and vibrant city.

Gaia, 24 year old La Ciguë resident: “La Ciguë has opened a door for thinking about different ways of living and developing a sense of community.”

Vincent Gerber: Member of La Ciguë and previous resident: “By claiming the use of empty (pre-destruction) housing, the cooperative has shown itself to be a reliable partner for the authorities and various local boards, which have repeatedly renewed their provision of housing.”

David Ireland, Chief Executive of World Habitat: “La Cigue shows that, even in the most expensive city in Europe, it’s possible to provide affordable housing with community, social inclusion and sustainability at its core.”

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Recognising innovation and collaboration in providing shelter for IDP in Ukraine

The project, initiated by Ukrainian urban laboratory METALAB and independent agency Urban Curators, has converted abandoned post-Soviet municipal buildings into good-quality interim accommodation for IDPs. This has helped to alleviate the severe shortage of affordable housing, already scarce due to a national policy favouring private ownership, now compounded by the war, which has forced millions of people to flee their homes.

With the support of local government and a large network of agencies, CO-HATY has so far raised over $1.3 million USD to renovate four buildings, providing housing for 640 IDPs in 2022. The project plans to renovate three more buildings and scale up to 7 in total for around 1300 residents by 2024.

Creating Homes That Go Beyond Walls, Windows and Roofs

CO-HATY also offers residents opportunities for social interaction and, in some cases, employment. The project is also working closely with international organisations and municipal governments to influence long-term urban development strategy, with the goal of providing vulnerable people with access to decent, safe, affordable, and permanent homes after the conflict.

The World Habitat Awards, organised by World Habitat in partnership with UN-Habitat, are the world’s leading housing awards, recognising and highlighting innovative, outstanding and revolutionary housing ideas, projects and programmes from across the world.

Anna Pashynska, CEO of METALAB and co-founder of CO-HATY: “We are honoured to receive this recognition from the World Habitat Awards. Our grass-roots action and the spaces we create go beyond building infrastructure.  They help people to integrate into new communities and for industries to retain their workforces. This award is a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the Ukrainian people.”

David Ireland, Chief Executive of World Habitat: “We were inspired by CO-HATY’s collaborative approach involving multiple organisations and the IPDS themselves in the design process. With an eye on the future, it looks at how these buildings can be used in the long term. It is a model with huge potential to be transferred to other Eastern European countries with similar social housing problems.”

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A Community-Driven Approach to Senior Living

In a world where traditional housing options often fail to meet the needs of an ageing population, New Ground, conceived and managed by its residents, offers an innovative solution to healthcare systems under strain and the challenges faced by older adults seeking independence, social connection, and a sense of belonging. The community features 25 flats, including eight social housing units, providing affordable and accessible housing options for women of various backgrounds and circumstances.

A Model for Age-Friendly Living

Beyond its physical structure, New Ground embodies the essence of cohousing, a collaborative living arrangement that fosters meaningful interactions and collective well-being. Residents actively participate in decision-making processes, creating a sense of ownership and shared responsibility.

A Promising Solution for Global Aging Population

New Ground shows that cohousing combats isolation and keeps residents active and living independently for longer. The project’s Bronze World Habitat Award is a testament to the transformative power of community and the potential for this model to address the growing need for age-friendly living environments.

David Ireland, CEO of World Habitat: “New Ground addresses a significant global issue of housing for older adults that does not marginalise, de-skill and devalue them. It has set a precedent in the UK and is a useful model for replication globally.”

Dr Melissa Fernádez Arrigoita, University of Lancaster: “Through its design, self-managed governance and everyday practices, New Ground is a pioneering housing project… responding to many environmental, social material and economic challenges of our time.”

Charlotte, resident of New Ground: “It is the best thing I have ever done.  Cohousing doesn’t suit everyone, but it works for me… believe me you get so much in return – community, a sense of purpose, security and friendship.”

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Revitalizing an Architectural Landmark

Constructed in the 1970s, Nettelbeckplatz once stood as a symbol of Berlin’s architectural prowess. However, over time, the estate fell into disrepair and failed to meet the evolving needs of its primarily elderly residents. Acknowledging the need for modernization, Housing Cooperative 1892, the estate’s developer and manager, embarked on a comprehensive revitalisation project.

Sustainability, Affordability, Accessibility and Diversity

Central to the renovation was a commitment to sustainability. The project incorporated energy-efficient measures such as new windows, insulation, and solar panels, significantly reducing the estate’s environmental footprint. Additionally, the new construction remained within the estate’s original footprint, minimizing land use and preserving its unique architectural character.

Despite the extensive improvements to 163 apartments, Housing Cooperative 1892 kept rents low, ensuring that the estate continued to provide accessible housing for its long-term residents. The project improved the accessibility of existing entrances, floors and elevators and included the construction of a new assisted-living cluster with 10 bedrooms and shared spaces for older residents. Additionally, 44 brand-new apartments attracted a diverse mix of residents, including families, young professionals, and students, creating a more inclusive and harmonious living environment.

World Habitat Award Recognition

The World Habitat Award, organized by World Habitat in partnership with UN-Habitat, recognizes and celebrates innovative housing projects that make a significant impact on communities around the world. The Nettelbeckplatz project’s Bronze Award highlights it as a model for cities seeking to revitalize their ageing housing stock while promoting environmental responsibility and social equity.

Quotes:

• Renate Reichert, resident of Nettelbeckplatz: “There has been an amazing improvement. Not only the modernization inside the buildings but especially the outdoor design which has created a benefit for all. We feel blessed to live in an environment like this.”
• David Ireland, Chief Executive of World Habitat: “The Nettelbeckplatz project is an excellent example of how retrofitting ageing affordable housing is also an opportunity for participation, reinventing uses and diversifying communities.”

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The research, conducted by the Metropolitan Research Institute and Budapest Institute for Policy Analysis on behalf of World Habitat, found that all four countries suffer from a dire shortage of social housing, caused by housing privatisation programmes started in the late 1980s. Today, most housing stock is owned outright by individuals and between 10 and 16% lies empty and dilapidated across the four countries. Affordability is also a problem, as the study found that private tenants spend on average half of their income on rent and many live in substandard conditions with a constant worry of becoming homeless.

In Romania, emergency homelessness service provider Carusel has seen a change in the types of people who are becoming homeless. Director Dr Marian Ursan commented: “We are helping growing numbers of young adults leaving institutions with no place to go and vulnerable families evicted from private rented homes, including people fleeing the war in Ukraine.”

There is a widespread lack of state investment in preventing homelessness and responses are based on expensive emergency or temporary shelters and services, which are ineffective at reducing the numbers of people without a home. Across all four countries, but especially in Hungary where rough sleeping was made a crime in 2010, negative stereotypes about people experiencing homelessness have become embedded in the public discourse. Experiencing homelessness in this kind of climate can be hugely traumatic and isolating. Marta and her family were homeless and living in a hut in the woods when they witnessed a building next door being burned down at night with people in it. She said: “I was so terrified, I cried. I didn’t dare fall asleep; I was afraid someone would set fire to the house.” 

Marta now lives in an apartment in Budapest, supplied through a small housing-led programme run by the Hungarian Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) From Streets to Homes. The NGO’s director Vera Kovacs explains: “We know that our housing-led approach works, but there is so much discrimination against people experiencing homelessness it makes it much harder for us to raise essential funds and get the political support we need to scale up.”

For the past decade, World Habitat has been sharing evidence and knowledge from across Europe where housing-led solutions have been adapted to local contexts and have dramatically reduced homelessness. For this study, representatives from local government, research organisations and World Habitat’s regional partners, shared their insights about the battle against homelessness and the encouraging results from small housing-led programmes. These have been supported through private donations and finance, European funding and in a growing number of cases, local governments and influential decision-makers who are ambitious to reap the tangible benefits that housing-led approaches offer.

Pavol Sabela, Director of STOPA, a Slovakian Homelessness NGO, said: “We have experimented with and applied the learnings from international collaboration. We consulted many approaches from across the spectrum and received theoretical and financial support to turn them into reality. Today we are proud of several housing-led projects that have taken root and are having a noticeable effect.”

Helena Babic, Manager of the Red Cross Shelter Pula and President of the new Croatian NGO What About Me has been encouraged by the decision of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy to back housing-led approaches. She commented: “We are happy and excited to lead Croatia’s first ‘Housing First’ program. We believe it will trigger a revolution in how homelessness is tackled in the Balkans.”

David Ireland, Chief Executive of World Habitat commented: “We know from our work across the world that housing-led approaches can solve homelessness. The programmes piloted by our sStudy partners show that they can also work in Central and Eastern Europe, despite the structural barriers identified in our report. We urge stakeholders to address these challenges and take the recommended steps to fully support housing-led approaches in the region, so that access to a safe, affordable, and decent home is afforded to everyone.”

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