The activities of the project’s first research module on housing focused on a systematic analysis of the residential segregation or concentration of migrant or ethnic minority groups in European cities and on the access by migrants to affordable and decent housing. Hence the first module examined:
- segregation in housing
- access to housing
- quality and affordability of housing
The module aimed to provide an overview and expert analysis of relevant housing policies and measures at the local level in twenty European cities, as well as indicators for evaluating their effect.
Research results from the housing module prove that having satisfactory accommodation is generally regarded as one of the most important human needs. A general conclusion is that any policy based on the principle of ‘one size fits all’ is bound to fail. Tailor-made solutions are required, based on a clear analysis of the local situation and taking specific aspects into account. It is primarily the cities and local communities which face the task of developing these tailor-made solutions. The EU and its Member States can and should offer support for this task.
The following table presents some specific recommendations from the module on housing:
Recommendations | Module on Housing |
|---|---|
For European policymakers | - Support networking among cities and dialogue with European policy makers - Integrate social housing into EU cohesion policy |
For EU Member States | - Strengthen the scope of action on municipal level - Establish framework conditions for the provision of housing |
For local policy makers | - Collect and monitor reliable and up-to-date information (i.e. ethnic monitoring) - Aim for a anti-segregation policy with a mix of different types of housing and different ethnic groups with the native population |
Publications
A state-of-the-art report on Housing and residential segregation of migrants was produced in order to outline the relevant theoretical and terminological concepts and thoughts in the field of housing which were helpful in guiding the research within the cities. The 20 case studies, carried out in 2007, can be downloaded from the website of the European Urban Knowledge Network (EUKN). Six of the case studies are available on the Eurofound website.
The overview report Housing and integration of migrants in Europe, jointly published by Eurofound and the Council of Europe, presents successful practices and strategies from the participating cities. A resumé of this report incorporating a set of guidelines for good practice to help cities cope more effectively with the challenge of integrating migrants is also available.
The research report Integration policies at the local level: Housing policies for migrants was made possible by a grant from the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) and was published by the Institute of Urban and Regional Research at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.