The possible home

The Cicsene, wanted and constituted by prof. Giorgio Ceragioli (photo), for me a teacher of life and professional commitment, well known by the friends of Sermig, will turn 50 next year. A nice goal. Research / action body has always been involved in access to housing for everyone in the world. As far as the house in Italy is concerned, we have developed some convictions.
The housing problem does not exist. Instead, there is the problem of access to the house. For different reasons. Because landlords decide not to rent out their empty housing. Because more and more the patrimony of public housing needs maintenance.
Because the number of people who are unable to deal with the rental market is increasing (vulnerable groups). Because foreigners find themselves hampered by prejudices.

Because the poor in our country are increasing even more after the pandemic. Because we are unprepared in the face of the Covid emergency. Because there is no integrated system that addresses the housing problem. While for the poor segment there are both governmental and local authority measures to address the different situations, for the so-called "gray band" there are some practices that have not yet been systematized. We are convinced that it is important, with regard to the theme of living, to have flexible tools and short times to find rapid solutions in the perspective of maintaining the so-called normality.
Speaking of innovative solutions for the vulnerable, we have experimented with housing assistance to bring the owner of empty houses together with those who do not have the requisites to enter the rental market: 2,500 cases solved in less than 10 years are proof that is possible.
Not only that, but this solution must be strengthened in the face of the fact that in Turin there are 70,000 empty private properties, 250,000 in Rome.

But there is another fact that we want to highlight because with the modalities of the past we will not be able to find solutions for the future: the assignment of the so-called public housing.
How many public housing could be used and are blocked due to lack of ordinary and extraordinary maintenance? According to the Piedmont Region there are 3,300 of which 1,700 in the Turin area.
The latter represent 5 to 6 years of assignment for those entitled. Beyond the necessary funds (let's figure at 16 million euros, which however could arrive in the future), a strong creativity is needed that innovates with respect to working methods and contracts.
We are also convinced that the subsidiarity provided for by our constitution in art. 118 could combine the energies of the public sector and the third sector in order to find solutions for the benefit of the common good: a home for all.

cicsene@cicsene.org

Gianfranco Cattai
NP August / September 2021