Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1507380
THE true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members. Our mission statement eloquently captures this: 'To provide and sustain decent social and af- fordable housing opportunities, promote stability, and support social mobility.' We are by and large a nation of homeowners – Malta boasts one of the highest homeownership rates in the EU. Yet even today, some members of society contin- ue to live in undesirable housing conditions. This is a reality that we as an authority simply can- not ignore. Some people live in housing that is more expensive than they can afford or inade- quate for their needs. Others live in unacceptable conditions due to overcrowding, poor or unsanitary living conditions, or buildings un- safe for habitation. Some groups, like migrants, low-wage earners, single-parents, separated and di- vorced, people with a disability or mental health challenges tend to be particularly vulnerable. In recent years, we have intro- duced several measures to in- crease the provision of affordable and social housing. Whilst the construction of social housing or schemes intended to facilitate home ownership, such as the first-time buyer scheme, get most media headlines, other initiatives and policies that focus on pre- ventive measures tend to be less well-known. These preventive measures over the decades have significantly mitigated the risks of homelessness. In the rental market, the Private Residential Leases Act of 2020 introduced new regulations that protect tenants from unfair evic- tion and price-hikes. It introduced minimum duration of contracts, procedures for contract renewals and an adjudicating panel to en- sure that small disputes between landlords and tenants are resolved swiftly. All of this was done with- out interfering with the price mechanism, which was left free to be set by market forces. Those unable to pay rent at the end of the month can be assisted by the Housing Benefit Scheme administered by the Housing Authority. A total of 3,356 fam- ilies are currently benefitting from this subsidy, with the cost of this scheme amounting to al- most €8.5m in 2022. It is money well spent in supporting stability for those families. In addition, by using detailed information from the rent register, the Housing Authority is collaborating with other competent authorities to identify cases of flagrant abuses of planning regulations that lead to over-crowding. The pre-1995 reform constitutes another measure to make rents more affordable while giving land- lords a fair return on their prop- erty. This scheme allows tenants, most of whom are now elderly, to continue to live in the same prop- erty depending on the amount of the newly established rent decid- ed by the Rent Regulation Board and the Courts. A new unit within the Housing Authority was set up to deal with these cases, with the Authority even providing tenants with the services of a lawyer with- out charge to assist them in court cases. For elderly tenants, the Housing Authority pays the entire differ- ence between the previous rent and the newly established one, up to a maximum of €10,000 per annum, while tenants continue to pay the same annual rate that they have always paid to their landlord. This gives them peace of mind that while their rent will remain affordable, they will not be dis- placed from the place where they have spent most of, if not their entire life. It is another stability measure delivered by the Hous- ing Authority to provide the basic right to a roof over one's head. Working tenants residing in pre- 1995 dwellings pay a maximum of 25% of their income, with the rest being subsidised by the Hous- ing Authority. Since 2021, more than 1,000 households residing in pre-1995 dwellings have received assistance from the Housing Au- thority. This assistance takes dif- ferent forms. For instance, more than 950 tenants have sought the free legal assistance offered by the Housing Authority, 842 families are benefitting from rent subsidy, and, in the case of evictions, 17 families have been allocated alter- native accommodation. Life events can have negative repercussions on one's hous- ing situation. For instance, indi- viduals that find themselves in a vulnerable position, say from domestic violence, require im- mediate relocation or a new al- location in the private market. For these individuals, especially those in a dire financial situation, the Housing Authority offers the support of paying the first month- ly rent and deposit in advance so the applicant can secure a lease. Subsequently, these beneficiaries are further supported to avail of the Housing Benefit Scheme to qualify for financial assistance on their monthly rental payments. It provides stability and security for those in crisis. The measures introduced in re- cent years that were intended to increase the stock of housing that can be leased for social accom- modation have resulted in a sharp decline in the social housing wait- ing list. In August 2023, only 1,502 individuals remained on the wait- ing list, down from 3,172 in 2018. Emphasis is not only placed on lowering numbers, but on creat- ing a better and more sustainable match between individuals and housing. For instance, in 2022 the Housing Authority embarked on regular follow-ups for individuals and households with specific dif- ficulties. Our pilot project called Care Plan was set up to aid such house- holds with better planning, budg- eting and loan repayments. In another programme, the Housing Authority acts as an intermediary to facilitate housing exchanges for households with different needs. The typical example would be due to mobility problems, with elderly individuals finding it difficult to continue living in large dwellings with lots of stairs. Around 166 ap- plications have been received thus far. We also collaborate with sev- eral NGOs by leasing properties at subsidised rents. These NGOs sublet to their clients, who are mainly vulnerable and, in some cases, are on the verge of be- coming homeless. One of these projects is the Supportive Hous- ing Scheme with the Richmond Foundation, an NGO working in the mental health sector. The Housing Authority is in- volved in numerous Specialised Housing Programmes. These projects are intended to serve as a preventive measure to combat loneliness, isolation and home- lessness. Over the past few years, we have collaborated with NGOs such as Richmond Foundation (Dar Tereza, Bormla), Fondazzjo- ni Sebh (Dar Mixtla in Birkirkara), Mid-Dlam Ghad-Dawl (Dar Bla Hitan in Birgu), YMCA (Hope in Valletta) and MGRM (Dar Qa- wsalla in San Gwann). While most of these projects are still works-in- progress, their completion will strengthen the social safety net for those most in need. While our work embodies the country's social conscience, it is not confined to our schemes and projects. We are proud that the main social event of the year for the Housing Authority's staff in- volved charitable team building activities centred around volun- teering. This summer, Housing Authority staff had the opportu- nity to spend one day performing voluntary work with NGOs that help those in temporary accom- modation, provide a food service to people in need, offer rehabilita- tion programmes and those pro- viding animal shelters. While affordability schemes and various works in maintenance and improvements to social accom- modation are indeed headline grabbers, each member of staff is reminded of the meaning of our mission statement in its widest sense when they come to work. Our own headline is written in large, bold letters, where in the entrance to the Housing Author- ity are the words: 'To provide and sustain decent social and afforda- ble housing opportunities, pro- mote stability, and support social mobility.' Every one of us is focused on achieving this mission – every day, and we are quietly proud of this. Matthew Zerafa, Brian Micallef & Victoria De Battista Housing Authority: writing our own headline 4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 SEPTEMBER 2023 OPINION OPINION Matthew Zerafa is the CEO of the Housing Authority, Brian Micallef is executive head in charge of policy and Victoria De Battista is a senior officer in the CEO's office.