HouseInc partners met in the beautiful city of Prague, Czech Republic, to share key updates and discuss the next steps for the project. The meeting consisted of brainstorming sessions and the latest research insights. We also heard from the four inspiring case studies in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Romania.
At the end of the first day, we took a field trip to visit one of the case study communities in Prague. Project partners got to witness the inspiring work of Romodrom, a non-profit organization working on the frontlines of the housing crisis by supporting vulnerable communities to find more than just shelter but a place to call home and a secure future.
Romodrom was founded in 2001 by social worker Marie Gailova, due to difficulties in finding suitable housing for Roma families. The formation was spurred on by the lack of municipal and social housing and the gap in providing for people who do not meet the conditions for municipal housing.
The Romodrom approach to inclusive housing
Since 2019, housing need has been addressed by the Housing First Model, which is for anyone in need of housing with a risk of exclusion. Aside from the Roma community, many of the people the organization finds housing for have mental health issues and face some type of social exclusion such as people just released from prison, homeless, single mothers, etc.
Romodrom connects people in need of housing (called clients) with landlords (private owners) and sets up a direct contract between the landlord and client. Clients must pay the rent themselves if they have a job or through social benefits. Romodrom acts as a guarantor for the client and helps with all payments such as water and other utilities. After the contract has been signed, the social workers from the organization provide a lot of social support to the clients, this can include advice on how to be a good tenant or connecting them with other services such as social and debt counselling.
The guarantee fund offered to clients is a key feature of the programme and serves as an assurance for landlords. Funded by the European Structural Fund and through the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the guarantee fund can be used to cover the rent and pay for damages. If the client uses the fund, they have to pay back the money in installments over a period of time.
The programme is an important step for helping marginalized people get back into society and after a period of stability, the clients are put into direct contact with the landlords. Initiatives like the one offered by Romodrom can also help to address wider social divisions by changing attitudes and mindsets towards previously marginalized groups, thus paving the way for a more integrated and inclusive community.
Romodrom in numbers
- 13 social housing projects (since 2014)
- 400 households helped and moved to standard housing
- 47% clients found a new job
- Over 90% of clients who entered the programme and received housing were able to rent long term
- Only 2 “clients” evicted in all those years
It was great to hear about the Romodrom experience and see the important work that is being done on the ground and the real impact it is having on the community. The case study also underlies how housing access is a multilayered issue that requires local insights and understanding to provide sustainable solutions.
