CITIES IN ACTION – C A S E S T U D Y QUESTIONNAIRE

Name of project: multigenerational co-housing City, country: Warsaw, Poland Dates (start – end): 2017-2019 EUROCITIES policy sector/s:

What is the project/what are its objectives? Inter-generational tenement house carried out on Stalowa 29 is the first housing project in Warsaw addressed to both younger people and older residents of Warsaw. The main objectives of the project are: • multigenerational integration, • strengthening social cohesion, • sustainable development of the city • support for seniors in their place of residence.

One of the prerogatives for the City is to prevent the negative effects of gentrification. The architects designing an inter-generational tenement house were asked to create a building in which the inhabitants will be encouraged and able to effectively help one another. The project is executing within the Integrated Revitalization Program forecasted for the years 2014-2022, provides for the disbursement of over € 47 619 048 for pro-efficiency measures in the residential buildings sector. The mission of the Program is implemented through 4 operational objectives: • socio-economic revival by raising the quality of public space, in accordance with the principles of spatial order and aesthetics, • development of tourism and culture based on cultural heritage resources, • increased safety of the inhabitants, as well as improvement in transport possibilities within housing estates, • integration of inhabitants, preventing and counteracting social exclusion.

Revitalization means not only renovation, but also social challenge. Participation in the Program becomes obligatory for the districts of Praga Północ, Praga Południe, Targówek (the historical area of Praga where is observed the highest level of unemployment rate among the Warsaw’s districts, and the highest number of people using social welfare system because of the lowest incomes) - located on right-bank Warsaw. For the other districts, participation in the Program is voluntary.

Inter-generational tenement house project carried out on Stalowa 29 will serve as a model for a modern, sustainable and well-designed housing modernisation under the Integrated Revitalization Program.

How was the project implemented? Stalowa 29 inter-generational tenement house project is located in Warsaw’s Praga Północ district. The project constructor and operator is a Warsaw’s Housing Association (TBS). In Warsaw operate 2 Housing Associations - Towarzystwo Budownictwa Społecznego Warszawa Północ and Towarzystwo Budownictwa Społecznego Warszawa Południe. Warsaw’s Housing Associations are a capital companies with only one shareholder, which is the City of Warsaw. The main purpose of their activities is the construction and operation of apartments for rent. Housing Associations are established in Poland as limited liability companies, joint-stock companies and co-operatives of legal persons, i.e. they may have various organizational and legal forms. Therefore, their operation is provided for in Acts, such as: Code of Commercial Companies or the Law on Cooperatives. According to Polish legislation: Housing Associations; Cooperatives and Condominiums need to be treated like privately owned houses. Apartments from the Housing Association are new, intended for rent to those, who have low or average income. These are flats of an average rent and surface area. The basic criteria that decide about being awarded with a flat from the Housing Association are: - income of a household, which at the date of agreement conclusion cannot exceed a set level of the average monthly gross salary in a given region, announced before the date of concluding the rental agreements, - the tenant together with persons reported to the shared premises at the date of acquiring the premises cannot hold a legal title to another apartment in the same place. The Housing Association’s flats are a perspective for families that cannot afford an apartment on a free market. An advantage of such apartments is the fact that families do not need to take loans, and they can occupy them for an unlimited time. Currently, the City of Warsaw owns about 85 000 houses. 82 000 are the subsidized city houses, whereas the remaining 2 600 are owned by Warsaw’s Housing Associations. Community flats built by Warsaw’s Housing Associations – are flats for people with the income higher than the maximum required for subsidized community flats (offered for people with low income) but yet not as high as to afford their own flat. Inter-generational tenement house carried out on Stalowa 29 will be inhabited by people from various age groups. On the last two floors, there will be a care and educational institution for youth. On the other floors, 4 apartments are planned (12 apartments in total). In addition to seniors, there will be people from other age groups. On the ground floor, a usable space for the local community will be created: a café or other meeting place, whose mode of operation will only be determined. Adapting the building to the needs of residents - people with limited mobility: • 12 apartments, from 27 sq. m to 47 sq. m • Treatment room • Neighborhood space on the ground floor - club café, • Continuity of the handrails along the entire flight of stairs • Marking the first and last stage on the run • Patio - greenery, benches and safe surface • Seniors-friendly placement of door handles and contacts • Friendly kitchens and bathrooms • Different colors of storeys • Contrasting door markings • Telecare

How were partners and/or citizens involved in the project? (dissemination of project, participation of citizens…) The architects designing an inter-generational tenement house were asked to create a building in which the inhabitants will be encouraged and able to effectively help one another. The design of the building and the rules of its operation were the subject of a three-stage public consultation with the participation of the residents of the district, seniors, people with disabilities, as well as architects and activists of non-governmental organizations. The consultation process has been described on the website: http://fundacjablisko.pl/index.php/stalowa29/

Project results: Successes: • Providing housing for families from different age groups, • Providing housing for families at risk of social exclusion • Revitalization of degraded urban space • Introduction of the first cohousing solutions in Poland for groups of all ages Challenges: • Modernization of the historic building • Introduction of new functions to the building

Funding information: In general the City of Warsaw plans to utilize its own budget as a basic source of financing the projects listed in the Integrated Revitalization Program forecasted for years 2014-2020, supported by co-funding from external funds. Inter-generational tenement house on Stalowa 29 is one of 23 buildings contributed in kind by the authorities of the City of Warsaw to TBS Warszawa Południe as part of the revitalization process. TBS is a non-profit company so the profit from their business can only be used to cover the costs of the company’s operations and for new constructions. The company’s activity is financed by its own financial resources and from preferential loan granted by the Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (public bank). The planned budget for multigenerational co-housing project carried out on Stalowa 29 is € 1.564.540.

Timeline: 2019

Awards, recognition, endorsements, citizens’ feedback:

Contact details: Name (incl. job title) - Karol Kretkowski Email – [email protected] Website (if any) – tbswp.pl