The Roma Association asks the government for a solution to housing for socially excluded individuals

AllesWirdGut + feld72: Social Housing Herzberg, Vienna (2011)

Prague - The National Association of Roma in the Czech Republic is calling on the government to address housing issues for people at risk of social exclusion. The association reacted to the situation in the ghetto on Přednádraží Street in Ostrava-Přívoz, where the building authority ordered several dozen residents of dilapidated houses, mostly Roma, to evacuate last Friday. According to the authorities, living in the buildings is life-threatening. However, Roma from across the country often lack the opportunity to find better housing, the association stated today on the website Romea.cz.
     The Roma Association initially requested a quick resolution to the situation in the houses in Ostrava-Přívoz in its statement. “We urge the district to ensure transitional housing for all residents of these houses in shelters, and to allocate adequate housing within its jurisdiction to tenants who properly fulfill their contractual obligations,” said the association's leadership.
     However, according to them, similar conditions prevail in several other Czech cities. Housing is reportedly one of the biggest problems facing Roma communities in the Czech Republic. “The unavailability of housing for people in material distress keeps socially excluded individuals in a vicious circle,” the association stated.
     “Due to the poor socio-economic situation, most Roma families with children use rental housing or live in overpriced shelters. Roma families also find it very difficult to obtain rental housing through real estate agencies, even in cases where they are employed and have the financial means to pay rent,” the association's leadership described the situation.
     According to the association, these conditions push Roma into the marginal parts of cities with low or no access to services and into houses and apartments in such poor condition that they threaten the health of their inhabitants, just like in Ostrava-Přívoz. “Experiences from practice and research indicate that the lack of housing options and the subsequent migration of families with children is one of the barriers to entering the labor market and the success of children in schools and further education,” added the association.
     Therefore, they called on the government to begin addressing this issue. “It is essential to develop a material intent for social housing legislation, which would systematically and concretely regulate the position of the state and the responsibilities of cities and municipalities in housing policy regarding people at risk of social exclusion,” the association stated. According to them, the law should determine the target group of individuals, minimum housing standards, and the legal framework for creating a housing fund for social housing purposes.