According to recent studies, internal research & signals from field workers, one of the main Urban Challenges in Ghent is the lack of affordable, qualitative, energy-efficient housing for people with a low income.
The affordable private market segment is narrow & is shrinking fast. Social housing waiting- lists are long & grow systematically. Traditional support tools (premiums, tax benefits,…) do reach the target group too little. People are looking for alternatives, living in poor quality houses & do not have the means & social skills to renovate. We call them captive residents.
ICCARus has the aim to renovate 100 houses off captive residents. Before, during & after the renovation process, captive residents will be unburdened and supported technically, financially,administrative and socially. ICCARus will use an innovative financial instrument to make these renovations possible. By using a recurring fund, the public finance is not only used for a limited group, but can be used over and over again to fight this main urban challenge. This project will create, shape and optimize this financial policy instrument.
Contribution of AP:
The most important contribution will be on two activities in WP4, the district-analysis (control and adaptation of social indicators, data-collection on the role of social services, community centers, civil society actors) and the social impact analysis with two important deliveries. Developing instruments (adaption existing) for measuring well-being, social capital and empowering effects of the participation in the renovation program and consultation in the multidisciplinary setting. Closed collaboration will be organized with the partners of WP5 and 6 for the pre- and post- test. Developing indicators for the comparison with the drop outs and recruiting and training of the interviewers for this part and coordinate this data-collection.