RESOLUTION NO. LIX/1534 /2017 OF THE WARSAW CITY COUNCIL of 14 December 2017

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1 RESOLUTION NO. LIX/1534 /2017 OF THE WARSAW CITY COUNCIL of 14 December 2017 on adopting the Housing Policy Housing 2030 for the City of Warsaw Pursuant to Art. 18 (2) (6) of the Act of 8 March 1990 on Municipality Government (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 1875) it is resolved as follows: 1. The Housing Policy Housing 2030 for the City of Warsaw, which forms an appendix to this Resolution, is hereby adopted. 2. The implementation of the Resolution shall be entrusted to the Mayor of Warsaw The Resolution shall be announced in the Public Information Bulletin of the City of Warsaw. 2. The Resolution shall enter into force on the day of its adoption. Chairperson of the Warsaw City Council (-) Ewa Malinowska-Grupińska

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3 Housing policy Housing2030 Appendix to Resolution No. LIX/1534/2017 of the Warsaw City Council of 14 December 2017

4 Housing2030 Table of contents RESOLUTION NO. LIX/1534 / OF THE WARSAW CITY COUNCIL 1 of 14 December Chairperson 1 Ewa Malinowska-Grupińska 1 I. Introduction 4 1. Preface 4 2. Description of the situation in the EU 4 3. The housing policies of selected Polish cities 6 Kraków 8 Łódź 8 Wrocław 9 Poznań 9 4. Assessment of the situation in the City of Warsaw. 9 Warsaw s housing stock 9 The residents of Warsaw 12 Conclusions Objectives 23 Sustainable development 23 Accessible and affordable housing 23 Supporting the most vulnerable 23 Living longer 23 Migration 24 Attracting talent 24 Improving the quality of dwellings in the city and good management 24 III. Objectives shaped by housing policy Supporting local communities 25 Strong, supportive communities 25 Cooperation with housing communities 26 Cooperation with housing cooperatives 26 Cooperation with private investors Sustainable housing 27 The principles of developing housing estates and housing estate complexes 27 a) A polycentric and multifunctional structure 27 b) Rational space management 27 c) Common areas 28 d) Convenient local infrastructure 28 d) Accessibility for people with disabilities 28 f) Improving the quality of life 29 g) Sustainable mobility 29 h) Increasing the use of the existing stock 29 i) Energy efficiency 29 j) The Warsaw Housing Standard Dwellings owned by the City 30 2

5 Housing Policy a) A description of ABCD segments 31 Segment A social housing 31 Segment B council housing for indefinite rental 31 Segment C TBS housing stock 31 Segment D dwellings for commercial rental 31 b) Increasing the city s housing stock 31 a) Rationalising housing-stock management 32 b) Improving housing stock quality 32 c) The social and housing multi-service a new management role 33 d) Counteracting rent debt 33 e) Counteracting homelessness Housing innovations Warsaw rental market Acquisition of knowledge and education 35 IV. Document development work description 36 V. Summary 38 3

6 Housing2030 I. Introduction 1. Preface The Housing Policy Housing2030 sets the objectives for the development of housing in Warsaw. One of these is to improve the quality of housing conditions of current and future Warsaw residents, in council housing, housing associations (Towarzystwo Budownictwa Społecznego) and projects on the private market. Currently the city s housing stock comprises approx. 84,000 dwellings, which is 9% of all dwellings in Warsaw. Local government authorities may improve the quality of living in the remaining part of the housing stock by implementing a responsible planning policy, setting the trends in construction (housing innovation) and fostering the development of strong supporting communities. The challenge is to supply the appropriate amount of affordable housing while responding to the changes occurring in our society. The content of the housing policy will reflect the social needs, which are varied and age-dependent. We perceive housing as a dynamic social process, which stands for much more than providing a single dwelling for a person s whole life. Another objective of the City of Warsaw's new housing policy is to strike a balance between apparently conflicting needs mobility and rootedness; community and privacy; the advantages of living in a big city and the need to enjoy peace and quiet; the need to have a flat of one s own and access to a wide range of flats for rent; quickly meeting the housing needs and constructing as many flats as possible, and focusing on the quality of life or following modern housing trends. Housing2030 responds to such global trends as population ageing, climate change and sustainable resource management. Improving the quality of life in Warsaw requires a comprehensive approach to housing. Warsaw's Housing2030 housing policy supports the sustainable development of the city i.a. through: creating housing estates with varied infrastructure and common space, improving the quality of the public space, protecting biodiversity, increasing the buildings energy efficiency, creating conditions for strong supportive communities, and defining standards in housing development. which would guarantee the high quality of life in the capital city. 2. Description of the situation in the EU According to the Eurostat. Statistics Explained report, housing deficit is a problem in most European countries. The increasingly difficult access to dwellings, homelessness, social and housing polarisation and new causes of housing loss have sparked more interest in social and housing policy throughout the last decade. In % of the EU-28 s population lived in flats and 57.4% in houses (Figure 1). The proportion of the former was the highest in Spain (65.9%), Latvia (65.1%) and Estonia (62.6%). The percentage of people living in houses was the highest in Ireland (92.5%), the UK (84.4%), Croatia (81.3%), Norway (81.1%) and Belgium (77.3%). 4

7 Housing Policy Figure 1 Distribution of EU population by dwelling type Source: self-developed on the basis of Eurostat data Statistics Explained ( More than one fourth (26.9%) of the EU-28 s population is comprised of owners with mortgage loans or other loans (Figure 2). Seven out of ten EU-28 residents (69.4%) live in their own dwellings, two out of ten are tenants who pay their rent at market prices and one is a tenant with a discounted rent. Figure 2 Distribution of EU population by tenure status Source: self-developed on the basis of Eurostat data Statistics Explained ( 5

8 Housing2030 In Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden more than one fourth of the population rent dwellings on the free market. This proportion grew to nearly a half (49.2%) in Switzerland. The percentage of the population who rent dwellings with a discounted rent or use dwellings free of charge is below 20% in all EU Member States (the EU average is 10.9%). Issues connected with social housing, homelessness and inclusion play an important part in the EU s social policy programme. Art. 34, Title IV of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union prescribes that In order to combat social exclusion and poverty, the Union recognises and respects the right to social and housing assistance so as to ensure a decent existence for all those who lack sufficient resources, in accordance with the rules laid down by Union law and national laws and practices. However, the EU imposes no obligations in the area of housing. The governments of all Member State develop their own housing policies. Many of them face similar challenges as Warsaw, which include such issues as replenishing housing stock, planning and counteracting the unrestrained growth of cities, promoting sustainable development, helping groups of young people and dependent people to enter the housing market, and promoting energy efficiency. 3. The housing policies of selected Polish cities As in other EU countries, housing issues are a high-priority social problem in Poland, and form an important component of the policies of Polish cities and municipalities. Data on the housing stock and populations of selected Polish cities as at the end of 2016 are shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 Comparison of the housing stock and populations of selected Polish cities as at the end of

9 Housing Policy Figure 3a. Number of people per dwelling unit in selected large Polish cities as at the end of 2016 The data shown in Figure 3 demonstrate that Warsaw has the largest number of dwelling units and the highest population of all cities. However, the density indicator (the number of people per dwelling unit) shown in Figure 3a is the lowest in Warsaw. This is partly due to the large number of dwelling units completed every year but still unoccupied. Warsaw is also characterised by a large number of people registered for permanent residence in other cities while actually living in Warsaw. The opposite trend is noticeable e.g. in Rzeszów. Changes in the populations of selected cities in 2007 and 2016 are shown in Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 The populations of selected Polish cities 2007 vs

10 Housing2030 Figure 5 Changes in the populations of selected Polish cities since 2007 Following an analysis of statistical data contained in Figures 3 to 5, top four major cities could be listed in terms of the number of dwelling units and population. These are: Kraków, Łódź, Poznań, Wrocław. The key aspects of their housing policies are presented below. Kraków The main objectives of Kraków s housing policy specified in The Housing Policy of the Kraków Municipality adopted by Resolution No. LVIII/797/12 of the Kraków City Council of 10 October 2012 are: to provide residents with the best possible housing conditions to meet their needs (providing the city s area with local development plans and developing the road network; regulating housing tenure; the regeneration of rundown housing estates); and providing housing support using the Kraków Municipality s housing stock (i.a. by the rational management of the housing stock expanding it and refraining from discount sales; maintaining the housing stock in a good technical condition, adjusting the rates of rent to market level and using an income-based discount system). Łódź The housing policy of the City of Łódź, as specified in Resolution No. XLIV/825/12 of the City Council in Łódź on 29 June 2012 on the adoption of the City of Łódź Policy on the municipality's housing stock, focuses on four operational objectives: A City of Renovated Tenements (stopping the degradation process and improving the quality of the municipality s housing stock, particularly in central districts; refurbishments and comprehensive revitalisation within the housing stock); A City with a Growing Proportion of Privately owned Flats (creating conditions for the implementation of non-public projects in the housing sector in the Łódź city centre; abandoning substantial discounts provided for the repurchase of council housing units and the municipality s complete withdrawal from small housing communities); A City Friendly to Tenants (the effective and waste-excluding management of council housing; creating conditions for renting council housing units. especially in central districts, by people of average incomes); A City Without Eviction (meeting the residential needs of the poorest residents thanks to a thorough support system provided by the city, the growing resource of social housing units and temporary premises outside the city centre). 8

11 Housing Policy Wrocław Pursuant to Resolution No. LIV/3250/06 of the Wrocław City Council of 6 July 2006 on adopting the development Wroclaw in the Perspective 2020 plus strategy, the City of Wrocław lists the following main objectives of its housing policy: creating a system featuring a wide range of dwellings with various standards and locations that could be made immediately available; simple formalities for switching dwellings due to a change in the financial situation of residents; launching the pilot programme called A Flat for a Graduate in cooperation with higher education institutions, preventing urban sprawl, which might lead to depopulation in the current demographic situation; introducing a flat sale programme which includes limitations on the sale of dwelling units and the gradual withdrawal of the municipality s share in the buildings of housing communities, especially in cases where the City of Wrocław s share is low; adopting a rent policy and rent discount conditions (temporary suspension of rent in specific random events; support in the payment of financial liabilities towards the municipality, proactive collection of rent debts); developing sources of financing the housing economy under governmental housing support programmes; revitalising the municipality s housing stock. Poznań The main objectives of the City of Poznań s housing policy are specified in The Housing Policy of the City of Poznań for prepared by the Institute of Real Estate Management are: the rational management of the city s housing stock (the supply of an appropriate number of dwelling units for the most needy; dwelling exchange; a well-thoughtout privatisation of the municipality s housing stock; solving social problems by providing shelter); creating the conditions for the development of housing construction (providing utilities to plots; preparing and updating local development plans; a sales plan for plots for various types of development; developing housing projects using the public-private partnership model or public works concessions and for households interested in the rental of flats with the eventual transfer of ownership to the tenant; solving the problem of deteriorating tenement houses in the city centre); improving the quality of living (stopping the process of decapitalisation of the housing stock and regulating the legal status and technical condition of real property). To summarise the documents listed above, certain recurring objectives and trends of housing policies in large cities can be pointed out: containing urban sprawl revitalising and upgrading the housing stock, reducing sales, rationalising the rent policy, optimising housing stock use. The City of Poznań has recently completed public consultations concerning The Housing Policy of the City of Poznań for The document has not come into force yet. 4. Assessment of the situation in the City of Warsaw. Warsaw s housing stock The number of dwellings in Warsaw as at the end of 2016 was 932,574 (Figure 3). For comparison the second largest city in Poland in terms of population, Kraków, had an over 2.5 times smaller resource: 369,203. A breakdown of the housing stock by tenure is shown in Figure 6. 9

12 Housing2030 Figure 6 A breakdown of Warsaw s housing stock by tenure as at the end of 2015 The proportion of council housing units in all dwelling units in Warsaw is currently 8.7% (81,563 council housing units). Since 2007 it decreased by 4%. The numbers of dwellings in the respective districts of Warsaw vary, as shown in Figure 7. Figure 7 Warsaw s housing stock by district as at the end of The largest number of dwellings is located in the Mokotów District (approx. 13.5%) and the lowest in the Wesoła District (approx. 1%). 10

13 Housing Policy According to Statistics Poland data, in approx. 151,000 dwellings were completed, which means that on average 15,000 dwelling units were built per year. In comparison with other major Polish cities, Warsaw s housing construction has the greatest potential. The number of dwellings completed in is shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 Dwellings completed by city in According to a Statistics Poland publication, 20,120 dwellings were completed in 2016, which is 51.2% more than in 2015, when 13,306 dwellings were built. The percentage share in the housing market of specific housing construction entities in Warsaw in is shown in Figure 9. Figure 9 Dwellings completed in Warsaw by form of construction in The dominant share in the construction sector (mainly for sale) is held by private investors who conduct for-profit activities. 11

14 Housing2030 Figure 10 The development of housing construction in Warsaw by district in The highest rate of development of housing construction is observed in the following districts: Białołęka, Wola, Mokotów, Bemowo, Wilanów and Praga-Południe. In the 10-year period, a total of 90,000 dwellings were built (60%). On the other hand, in such districts as Praga-Północ, Rembertów, and Wesoła, only a small number of new dwellings are built per year 550 on average. The residents of Warsaw As at the end of 2016, Warsaw had a population of 1,753,977. Figure 11 shows this number broken down by district. 12

15 Housing Policy Figure 11 Warsaw s population by district as at the end of Mokotów and Praga-Południe had the highest populations. Figure 12 A comparison of the population and number of dwellings by district as at the end of 2016 As shown in Figure 12, these districts are also characterised by the largest number of dwellings in relation to the overall housing stock. 13

16 Housing2030 Over a period of 9 years, Warsaw became home to approx. 50,000 new residents. Changes in the populations of respective districts are shown in Figures 13 and 14. Figure 13 Warsaw s population by district a comparison between 2007 and Figure 14 Change in the population of Warsaw a comparison between 2007 and

17 Housing Policy The next Figure shows population density expressed in the number of people per 1 km 2 by district as at the end of 2016 (Figure 15). Figure 15 Population density in Warsaw as at the end of The total area of Warsaw (urbanised and non-urbanised areas) is km 2. The statistical indicator of population density for the whole city in 2016 was 3,391 per 1 km 2. Six districts were below this average, Wawer and Białołęka being the largest of these in terms of area. The area of Wawer is 79.7 km 2 and Białołęka 73 km 2. The smallest districts (below 10 km 2 ) are: Ochota, Ursus and Żoliborz. The geodetic area of built-up and urbanised areas in Warsaw is km 2 (55.9%). Over a period of 8 years, Warsaw s average population density increased by 85 people per 1 km 2. In the breakdown by district (Figure 16), the highest increase can be observed in the Ursus district (925), while population density dropped in six districts (the highest decrease was in Śródmieście 696). Figure 16 Changes in the population density indicator for Warsaw from 2008 Changes in the population density indicator by district in 2008 and 2016 are shown in Figure

18 Housing2030 Figure 17 Warsaw s population density a comparison between 2008 and 2016 Table 1. Warsaw s population by district and the population living in social housing units (as at the end of 2016). Dzielnica Liczba mieszkańców Warszawy % udział mieszkańców dzielnicy do liczby ogółem w tym liczba osób w mieszkaniach komunalnych % udział osób w zasobie komunalnym w liczbie mieszkańców dzielnicy Bemowo ,9% 500 0,4% Białołęka ,6% ,3% Bielany ,5% ,8% Mokotów ,4% ,2% Ochota ,8% ,8% Praga-Południe ,2% ,5% Praga-Północ ,8% ,1% Rembertów ,4% 843 3,5% Śródmieście ,7% ,3% Targówek ,0% ,6% Ursus ,3% ,9% Ursynów ,5% ,8% Wawer ,3% ,9% Wesoła ,4% 332 1,3% Wilanów ,0% 59 0,2% Włochy ,4% ,1% Wola ,9% ,8% Żoliborz ,9% ,9% Ogółem ,0% ,6% Source: self-developed Nearly 23% of Warsaw s population lives in the Mokotów and Praga-Południe districts. The Praga-Północ, Śródmieście and Wola districts have a high proportion of council housing tenants in relation to all residents of the district. Praga-Północ has a low total number of dwellings (3.7%), a very small share in Warsaw s total population (3.8%), with the largest share of council housing tenants (32.1%). 16

19 Housing Policy According to the 2014 forecast of Statistics Poland, Warsaw s population will gradually grow. Figure 18 Warsaw s population according to Statistics Poland forecasts compared to actual population data The population of Warsaw as at the end of 2016, as announced by the Statistical Office in Warsaw, was 1,753,977. The forecast predicted that Warsaw would have a similar population level in 2025 (1,755,998). This means that the actual population of Warsaw as at the end of 2025 should be higher than forecast. Figure 19 Forecast for the City of Warsaw by functional age groups until 2030 The Statistics Poland forecast shows that until 2030, the dominant age group in Warsaw will be comprised of people from 18 years of age to retirement age, i.e. economically active and the most economically efficient. It should be noted that after 2025, the population aged 45 and older (but still in their working age) will increase. The number of year-olds (the mobile group) will decrease. 17

20 Housing2030 Figure 20 Total dependency ratio by district in 2007 and 2016 in Warsaw. Figure 20 shows the total dependency ratio expressed in the post-working age population per 100 working age people in a given district and also on average in the whole of Warsaw. Two outer districts, Białołęka and Wilanów clearly have the strongest development of housing construction and Wilanów is the only district where this indicator dropped in the period of 9 years. According to the Ranking of Warsaw districts by the attractiveness of living conditions of the Mazovian Centre for Regional Surveys of the Statistical Office in Warsaw, the central districts are highly attractive in terms of living conditions. Living conditions are defined as the availability of infrastructure and the factors that impact the extent to which the residents needs are satisfied. In comparison with other major Polish cities, the increase in this ratio in Warsaw was one of the lowest over the 9 year period, as shown in Figure

21 Housing Policy Figure 21 Total dependency ratio in selected cities from 2007 Figure 22 The mix of households in Warsaw according to the National Census of Population and Housing 2011 data. In terms of the number of people in a household, most are one- and two-person households 67% in total. These data are important for planning the sizes of constructed flats. The average usable floor area of a dwelling in Warsaw as at the end of 2015 was 58.9 m 2. Taking into account the current mix of households and the demographic trend, the proportion of dwellings designed for one- and two-person households will be growing in new housing projects. Figure 23 shows the average dwelling area by district. 19

22 Housing2030 Figure 23 The average usable floor area of a dwelling in Warsaw as at the end of 2016 The largest dwellings are located in Wesoła, Wawer, and Wilanów, as the majority of dwellings located in these districts are single-family houses. The lowest usable floor areas are found in Wola and Praga-Północ, where the majority of dwellings are in multi-family housing. These districts also feature the oldest housing stock in Warsaw with a relatively low standard, i.a. due to their secondary division into council housing in the post-war period. Figure 24 The average usable floor area of a dwelling per person in Warsaw as at the end of 2016 In Warsaw the average usable floor area of a dwelling per person is 31.3 m 2 (Figure 24). It is the highest in Wilanów 56.5 m 2 /person (Figure 24). The next districts are Wawer and Wesoła, which have a relatively high proportion of single-family housing. The lowest value is in Praga-Północ 23.6 m 2 /person. 20

23 Housing Policy Table 2. Warsaw s housing stock by district as at Dzielnica Source: self-developed Liczba mieszkań w Warszawie % udział mieszkań w dzielnicy do liczby ogółem w tym liczba mieszkań komunalnych % udział lokali komunalnych w zasobie mieszkań dzielnicy Bemowo ,1% 421 0,7% Białołęka ,0% 662 1,2% Bielany ,3% ,3% Mokotów ,6% ,5% Ochota ,2% ,6% Praga-Południe ,4% ,6% Praga-Północ ,7% ,8% Rembertów ,1% 356 3,5% Śródmieście ,2% ,8% Targówek ,1% ,5% Ursus ,9% 755 2,8% Ursynów ,5% 424 0,6% Wawer ,4% ,0% Wesoła ,0% 127 1,4% Wilanów ,3% 25 0,1% Włochy ,4% ,9% Wola ,4% ,0% Żoliborz ,4% ,9% Ogółem ,0% ,7% The highest number of dwellings (41.5% of the total number) is located in the four central districts: Mokotów, Praga-Południe, Śródmieście and Wola. They also feature a high concentration of council housing nearly 52% of all council housing units in Warsaw are located there. A distinctive situation can be observed in Praga-Północ, which has a small housing stock (3.7% of the total), but with a high proportion of council housing units (as much as 32.8%), which is not the case in any of the large districts. Few council housing units are located in the outer districts: Bemowo, Białołęka, Rembertów, Ursus, Ursynów, Wesoła and Wilanów. Over a 20-year period, Warsaw s council housing stock decreased by 73,325 dwellings (from 154,888 as at the end of 1995 to 81,563 as at the end of 2016). The period of the biggest decline in the number of dwellings was , with a decrease of 5,500 dwellings per year. Over the following years, the average annual decrease was 2,300 dwellings, and in it was 700 dwellings. The rate of change in the number of council housing units in was mainly influenced by two factors: the sale of dwellings to tenants and the restitution of real property to their previous owners or their successors, as shown in Figure

24 Housing2030 Figure 25 The reasons for the decline in the number of council housing units in Warsaw in Source: self-developed Conclusions 1. Warsaw has the largest housing stock in Poland. 2. An average of 15,000 dwellings per year have been built in Warsaw in recent years. This corresponds to, e.g., the number of dwellings constructed in (9 years in total) in Rzeszów. 3. The average usable floor area of a dwelling in Warsaw is 58.9 m The average usable floor area per person is 31.3 m 2 (this value covers both multiand single-family housing). 5. Of the 1.75 million residents of Warsaw, 60 percent are working age people (18- retirement age). 6. A comparison of the housing indicators for Warsaw with those for other cities leads to the conclusion that it is not the number, but the size and mix of dwellings, that is an issue the number of dwellings corresponds to the number of households. However, official statistics fail to take into account non-consumption housing needs such as investment (housing for rent, vacant dwellings, etc.) and the use of residential units for purposes other than residential. It fails to list the number of people/families who own more than 1 dwelling unit and people from outside Warsaw (and Poland) who purchase dwellings in the Capital City. 7. The average size of a dwelling, the number of rooms per person and the number of metres per person in Warsaw are considerably lower than in other European capitals. The demographic data published by Statistics Poland and used as a basis for calculating housing indicators are incomplete, as they do not account for nonregistered short-term and long-term stays. Taking into account the population actually living in Warsaw would have a favourable influence on the indicators reflecting the size and quality of Warsaw s housing stock, including the city s housing needs. 8. The total dependency ratio in Warsaw is 40 post-working age people per 100 working age people on average. 9. According to the Statistics Poland forecast, by 2030, the dominant age group in Warsaw will comprise people from 18 years of age to retirement age (economically active). After 2025, the population of people aged 45 and older will increase. 10. The mix of households in Warsaw is characterised by a high proportion of one- and two-person households 67%. The average household size is two people. 22

25 Housing Policy 5. Objectives The primary objectives defined by the housing policy Housing2030 are: to implement the housing policy in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, providing a range of accessible dwellings adapted to a variety of needs of Warsaw residents, including, in particular, helping the most vulnerable and catering to their needs; the growing life expectancy; migration (both within the country and between countries), attracting talent and improving the quality of the city s own housing stock. Sustainable development The development of housing in Warsaw will be pursued in line with the principles of sustainable development in the fields of urban planning and architecture, technology and construction (energy efficiency) and in the social area. The city s new investment projects will set the trends on the housing market by excelling in land planning, supporting the city s polycentric development, creating multifunctional housing estates to account for social diversity, increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, and testing innovative residential models. Solutions will be suggested to boost social participation and encourage the engagement of residents in the creation of strong, supportive communities. An important component of sustainable solutions is saving the existing resources. The success of sustainable housing depends on both the management property managers, and the everyday behaviour of users. Accessible and affordable housing The objectives of the Housing Policy Housing2030 include the creation of a housing stock appropriate for all social groups. The city adapts its housing stock to the needs of its residents, especially people with moderate incomes who cannot afford or do not want to own a dwelling. The shortage of solutions designed for this group is noticeable both in commercial dwellings and in the city s social housing stock. Our housing needs vary depending on our life situation and change with time, which is why, in its housing policy, the City of Warsaw will aim at eliminating architectural barriers that prevent access to dwellings for people with reduced mobility and disabilities. Increasing the accessibility of dwellings also involves the necessity of increasing the number of the city s housing stock and managing the existing dwellings responsibly. Supporting the most vulnerable Housing policy is an important component of the city social policy. It focuses on helping people who, due to their low income or difficult life situation, cannot satisfy their housing needs on the commercial market. The City of Warsaw will counteract the homelessness of people living and visiting the city and the rent debt of tenants of council housing units. It will support elderly people, people with disabilities, single parents and migrants in difficult life situations. The City of Warsaw is planning to provide an appropriate number of social housing units in the city s housing stock and launch programmes fostering social inclusion implemented in cooperation with social organisations and the private sector. Living longer Population ageing is one of the biggest challenges we face today. Although in Warsaw this problem is not as dire as in other Polish cities (as the natural population change and net migration rate are positive), the housing policy should be conducted in such a way as to respond to the needs of elderly people and maintain the independence of Warsaw s 23

26 Housing2030 residents. Hence, some new investment projects and the renovation of existing buildings will be implemented in accordance with the principles of universal design. The city will create conditions for building strong and supportive communities, which will help elderly people in their everyday lives and aim at enabling people to stay in the same neighbourhood (though not necessarily in the same dwelling) as they get old. Migration The growing number of people coming to live in Warsaw is a challenge for the housing policy which involves increasing the city s housing stock (see page 42) and the need to create a responsible planning policy. The objectives of the development of residential housing will be set in such a way as to create functionally planned housing estates with good connections to other parts of the city, equipped with service infrastructure. New housing estates will create space for newcomers to adapt and integrate with their local communities. As part of its housing policy, the City of Warsaw will support the development of healthy relations on the rental market and promote safe rental by assisting people who are not familiar with the realities of Warsaw s rental market. Attracting talent Warsaw, as a European metropolis, has been committed to attracting the most talented people. We aim to be the go-to place for people who decide to leave their home towns in Poland and an attractive place to live and work in Europe. The presence of people from various regions representing diverse outlooks and experiences will enable us to develop an environment fostering the emergence and growth of new concepts and ideas. To attract the most talented people to relocate to Warsaw along with their families and encourage them to stay here, the authorities will gradually improve the quality of life and living in the city. Warsaw wants to attract talent and become competitive to other capital cities. Improving the quality of dwellings in the city and good management The City of Warsaw will improve the quality of the city s housing stock to gradually eliminate sub-standard dwellings. We will achieve this goal by adopting an efficient renovation policy. Warsaw s housing stock in 2030 should guarantee an appropriate quality of life and set the trends in sustainable housing. The challenges to be addressed involve increasing the involvement of Warsaw s residents in local activities and improving the communication between tenants and property managers. 24

27 Housing Policy III. Objectives shaped by housing policy 1. Supporting local communities Strong, supportive communities Supporting local communities and local activity forms the essential component of the city s housing policy. Strong and supportive communities increase residential safety, the level of attachment to a given location and facilitate better management of the existing resources. In addition, they improve the quality of living in the city. This requires a well-planned environment and support for actions furthering social cohesion. Communities function both on the level of a neighbourhood (several dozen buildings) and single buildings. In new housing developments, the City of Warsaw will take into account social diversity, including by creating multi-generation tenement houses. This will be the city s response to the challenge of population ageing. A community, in its broad sense, comprises the whole ecosystem people, animals, and plants. The suggested model will provide thorough protection to facilitate harmonious life and development. In practice, this could mean creating neighbourhood programmes, covering very small areas such as squares and courtyards, and engaging residents, local institutions, and companies in joint work towards the protection and strengthening of local biodiversity. Examples of such actions include the provision of architecture for animals (e.g. underpasses for small animals, bird nesting areas, green ways etc.) and also the appropriate selection of plantings, the protection of free-living cats and other environmental practices. By implementing the actions arising from the Local Community Strengthening Programme , which include local initiatives and partnerships, the City of Warsaw uses its participatory budget to support the financing of initiatives coming from local neighbourhood communities. Promoting this type of actions and looking for new ones will make it possible to respond to the complex needs of local communities. To involve residents in activities aimed at improving the quality of life, the following solutions are suggested: allocating funds to initiatives building the local community and improving the quality of living in all districts of Warsaw; a support scheme for local partnerships involving, among other things, the inclusion of property managers in a network of local partnerships. involving local leaders in the decision-making process connected with a given neighbourhood, managing the stock of city-owned commercial premises and planning innovative residential projects; Creating space with a potential to strengthen social bonds requires: increasing the number of Local Action Hubs (Miejsca Aktywności Lokalnej, MAL), i.a. through utilising local social infrastructure, the Warsaw Local Centres (Warszawskie Centra Lokalne, WCL) and other public and semi-public spaces to function as meeting points for neighbours. combining the residential and utilitarian uses, in particular creating the so-called active ground floors, which revive the streets and create space for everyday meetings, such as laundries, shoemaker s, hairdresser s salons, bakeries, cafés, bars, pubs; supporting social economy entities; including various forms of service exchanges, time banks and other solutions encouraging contacts between neighbours in the building/housing estate management system 25

28 Housing2030 Cooperation with housing communities The cooperation between the City of Warsaw and housing communities (Polish: wspólnoty mieszkaniowe) will focus on taking full advantage of their potential in building upgrades, especially in terms of improving their energy efficiency and introducing technological innovations to improve the quality of living. The city, as the owner and manager of over 2,000 courtyards, a large proportion of which comprise freely available public space located directly next to residential buildings, will establish cooperation with housing communities to develop this space in a community-friendly way. The most important objectives and challenges: the creation of an advisory education and innovation platform for the boards of housing communities to promote and help implement the Warsaw Housing Standard in the housing stock (page 40); the active and innovation-fostering role of the representatives of the City of Warsaw, a co-owner in housing communities, as professional promoters of good solutions in terms of improving management quality, energy efficiency and technical standards with the use of state-of-the-art operating and construction technologies, and seeking cost savings. the active inclusion of housing communities in the implementation of social programmes for local community integration (social partnerships, inclusion, cultural and educational programmes); the creation of tools for the co-management of public space by partnerships involving local communities, institutions, non-governmental organisations and local government representatives; the creation of an effective channel for the housing communities to provide information to residents regarding issues which matter to them and programmes implemented by the City and non-governmental organisations; supporting self-organisation in emergency and disaster situations and building awareness of the importance of neighbourhood support; the settlement of contentious issues between the housing communities and City units, including through a programme of affordable rental and purchase of land used only by respective buildings; the implementation of a joint programme for the development of land between buildings, which constitute public space. Cooperation with housing cooperatives Housing cooperatives are an important partner in the implementation of the City of Warsaw s housing policy. They manage land which includes open housing estate areas, developed green areas, and leisure and sports areas. Their housing stock includes dwellings which they can provide for lower-than-market prices; they can engage in social and cultural activities. This potential will be exploited for the implementation of the overall Housing Policy Housing2030. The most important objectives and challenges: the regulation of city-owned land used by housing cooperatives, necessary for their stability, the implementation of new investment projects and the upgrade of common areas in housing estates; the inclusion of housing cooperatives in the programme of increasing Warsaw s available housing stock; the development of cooperation in developing local community and cultural inclusion programmes and senior citizen programmes, also in the configuration: The City of Warsaw non-governmental organisations housing cooperatives; 26

29 Housing Policy supporting self-organisation in emergency and disaster situations and building awareness of the importance of neighbourhood support; the provision of expert support in public space planning; the development of common areas, building appearance and the creation of programmes for energy efficiency and the use of innovative technologies; cooperation in providing space for social and cultural activities. Cooperation with private investors The City of Warsaw will cooperate with private investors in the field of creating areas aimed at serving the needs of the local community and improving the quality of living. The most important objectives and challenges: cooperation in the implementation of the Warsaw Housing Standard (page 40) the development of cooperation in developing local community and cultural inclusion programmes and senior citizen programmes; supporting self-organisation in emergency and disaster situations and building awareness of the importance of neighbourhood support; the provision of expert support in public space planning; the development of common areas, building appearance and the creation of programmes for energy efficiency and the use of innovative technologies; involvement in providing space for social and cultural activities. 2. Sustainable housing The principles of developing housing estates and housing estate complexes a) A polycentric and multifunctional structure The desired model of Warsaw s spatial development is a compact city with a polycentric multifunctional urban structure. To function properly, housing estates require a welldeveloped array of local services. Local service centres will be distributed relatively evenly around junction areas with good transport connections. Their size and range of influence will depend on their place in the city s hierarchical structure. Some of them are district-wide centres combining job-creating and commercial functions, standing out from their surroundings with their appearance and architectural form. Others are local centres around which the life of local communities is organised, providing for the essential needs of residents. In developing the functional structure, Warsaw avoids the creation of singlepurpose areas. They will be based on a mix of functions. The specific functions will be placed in arranged configurations to create a safe and comfortable space for living, maintaining its multifunctionality, which is characteristic of the urban fabric. Plans for new housing estates will include the structure of both service functions, including commercial; and production functions using modern and green technologies, such as education functions. In existing housing estates, the City of Warsaw will fill the gaps in service functions, particularly in basic services. b) Rational space management New housing developments should be primarily based on the potential of already-urbanised areas. The rational management of space as a limited resource requires economical planning decisions for optimal use. For this reason, it is important for planned housing developments to be correlated with the actual demand for this function in the city. The city s spatial policy will give priority to housing developments within urbanised areas. Particularly in 27

30 Housing2030 locations with existing utilities, including in terms of broadly defined social infrastructure and effective public transport, as well as meeting the quality criteria in the context of locating residential functions, while taking into account the predispositions and limitations of the natural environment. Developments outside urbanised areas will be designed on the basis of the same criteria as for urbanised areas. As a rule, areas designated for new developments will first be equipped with the necessary infrastructure. c) Common areas Housing estates will be provided with areas fostering meetings between neighbours. Local communities are formed primarily in housing estates. The development of the housing estate area and interior spaces, the layout of semi-private and public areas, and also private areas (such as gardens, green areas adjoining dwellings) will foster establishing and strengthening such contacts. The proportion of common areas fostering the social empowerment of their residents will be increased in the structure of housing estates and buildings. These areas, as places where people can meet and spend their free time, will be characterised by good workmanship and high-quality materials. Green areas play a key role in arranging this space, as they not only improve the overall appearance, but also provide a much-needed breathing space in the urbanised space of the city. They reduce the impact of the urban heat island and improve air quality. In accordance with the concept of ecosystem services, urban green areas also bring economic benefits due to the fact that there is no need to use certain technical solutions such as unnecessary enclosures, storm water infrastructure etc. The well-thought-out layout of common areas in housing estates, aimed at fostering social contacts, is the best and least expensive way to ensure the safety of all residents. The division of the housing estate into accessibility areas, based on landscape architecture elements and greenery, and supported by natural neighbourly supervision, is an alternative to the excessively used fragmentation of public space by creating enclosures and using technological surveillance measures. Mechanisms will be developed to help eliminate barriers in vertical access both in housing stock owned by the City of Warsaw and privately owned housing stock. d) Convenient local infrastructure Housing estates are more than just residential buildings. They also feature the essential social infrastructure. Access to education, healthcare, culture, sport and leisure areas, and green and blue infrastructure should be provided within acceptable walking distance. Standards in this respect not only determine the quality of life in a given housing estate, but also reduce the forced mobility of its residents. In implementing housing development programmes, we will take into account the specific accessibility standards for both existing and planned social infrastructure facilities. An additional factor fostering the creation of convenient local centres will be fast, economical and green public transport. Housing estates with the densest development will be provided with a rail transport service, which will ensure the highest transport efficiency. The objectives for the development of this type of housing estate will be correlated with the objectives for the development of rail public transport. d) Accessibility for people with disabilities The independence and mobility of people with disabilities and senior citizens improves the quality of life and reduces expenditures on social services. With this in mind, mechanisms will be developed to support the elimination of barriers in vertical access both in the City s housing stock and in privately held dwellings, as well as common areas. Local Action Hubs (MAL), Warsaw Local Centres (WCL) and other public and semi-public spaces functioning as places of neighbourhood meetings will be designed to ensure the best possible access to residents with impaired mobility or perception. Visitability principles will be gradually introduced, which in practice means designing all dwellings in such a way as to make them visitable for people in wheelchairs. In order to fully identify the housing needs of people with various disabilities, it is a reasonable solution to monitor this trend. 28

31 Housing Policy f) Improving the quality of life The City of Warsaw will improve the quality of life of its residents in all districts. The existing housing estates which do not comply with the spatial and functional requirements (as mentioned above) will be equipped with additional facilities and converted for the local housing environment to achieve the desired level of quality. Highly urbanised areas where the functional parameters cannot be improved in the housing estate space will be provided with green infrastructure elements. The housing estates which lack basic services will be equipped with the necessary facilities. Nodal locations, which are important for local communities, will be provided with new places for the local community fostering social contacts. The objective of the revitalisation measures is to transform dilapidated housing estates, which lack important infrastructure and social connections, into vibrant and friendly neighbourhoods. g) Sustainable mobility The layout of individual housing estates and their location in the City will be created with the sustainable mobility principles in mind. The aim of this policy is to give priority to pedestrians and cyclists in urbanised areas, which will have a beneficial effect on the health of residents and the quality of urban space. The basic objectives of the spatial development of residential housing will be to develop the current and planned networks of rail public transport. Warsaw will concentrate its efforts to shorten the commuting time between workplaces and homes by developing the city s polycentric, multifunctional structure and providing local social infrastructure. These are the spatial elements used to manage the so-called forced mobility. The foundation of managing transit mobility will be a system of Park&Ride car parks available within the metropolitan area. The spatial and functional solutions to be introduced in housing estates will be designed to help balance the mobility of residents by giving priority to travelling on foot, by bike and on public transport. The parking policy in housing areas and also within the city centre will foster spatial governance and the achievement of mobility policy objectives. h) Increasing the use of the existing stock It requires a small amount of funds and work to adapt vacant dwellings, attics, lofts and basements to serve the needs of the local community. They provide potentially excellent venues for common areas, neighbours clubs, common rooms, bicycle and pram storage rooms, etc. If they are converted into independent residential or commercial premises, they can contribute to improving the quality of living of all residents. There are situations when, in the context of urban planning, it is reasonable to provide new storeys to existing residential buildings. These are mainly street-facing buildings, which require aligning the heights of buildings on adjoining plots and those which require slight height increases to emphasise the important view lines of streets and squares due to their corner locations. A better use of the potential of existing development will be emphasised in Warsaw s spatial policy, as this approach supports the idea of creating a city with a compact, polycentric urban structure. i) Energy efficiency The City of Warsaw will aim at making the newly created housing stock compliant with higher performance requirements than listed in the Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure on the technical conditions to be met by buildings and their location. It will also counteract energy poverty by increasing the energy efficiency of the existing and newly created building, in both cases striving to achieve the parameters of a nearly zero-energy building and to comply with the cost-optimal level of energy-performance requirements (within the meaning of Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings). To achieve the expected operational and economic effects connected with the use of existing or future residential development, both on the level of property managers and 29