Approved by the Representative Council on 27 Aug 2014

Transcription

1 approved by the Representative Council on 27 Aug 2014 Main objectives of HYY's housing policy: The main focus of the Finnish national student housing policy should be on the improving of the housing situation in the metropolitan area. New production of student housing in the metropolitan area (Helsinki-Espoo-Vantaa) should be increased. At least 500 new student apartments should be constructed in a year. State-subsidised rental housing production in the Helsinki region should remain at least within the framework determined by the land use and housing implementation programme of Helsinki, i.e. 1,000 rental apartments each year. Significantly more flexible criteria should apply to student housing construction in terms of the construction of parking spaces and shelters. Hoas should take into account the students' diversity in the construction phase, housing queues and in the allocation principles and communications. Introduction This document is a collection of policies concerning the housing policy advocacy approved by the Representative Council of the Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY). The policy paper includes HYY's objectives for the Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region (Hoas), University of Helsinki, City of Helsinki and the Government. The policy paper is not valid for a certain period of time, but it is advisable that the policies will be reviewed no later than when planning the parliamentary election objectives for the year of Approved in the Representative Council meeting on 27 Aug Student housing subsidies and housing expenses have been outlined in HYY's subsistence policy paper (approved by the Representative Council on 23 Apr 2014). Housing construction and the urban landscape were outlined in the Student Union's Urban Programme (approved by the Representative Council on 31 Jan 2012). Helsingin yliopiston ylioppilaskunta info@hyy.fi Mannerheimintie 5 A, Helsinki, Finland 1

2 HYY's role as a housing policy operator HYY supports Hoas in its operations and has influence on the overall student housing policy in the Helsinki region, the land use and housing plans for Helsinki and the surrounding region reviewed every council term. The main focus of the national student housing policy should be in the improving of the housing situation in the metropolitan area. HYY has influence on the housing policy in cooperation with the National Union of University Students in Finland, particularly taking this objective into account. HYY does not construct student housing by itself but supports Hoas as the primary student housing constructor in the metropolitan area. HYY clarifies whether students can use Domus Academica's buildings C and D. As its member service, HYY provides advice on housing and housing-related legal protection to a limited extent. HYY ensures that the students receive adequate information on housing also from the University and Hoas. A local cooperative body should be established to evaluate student housing and the development of the housing market in the metropolitan area, which represents universities, municipalities, student housing communities and local student organisations in the metropolitan area. The cooperative body would also have effect on national advocacy to improve the situation in the metropolitan area. The cooperative should also facilitate the student housing queues in the metropolitan area in the early autumn by anticipating the housing needs of international students, in particular. Housing availability in the metropolitan area Concerns general and student housing construction, assigning of plots for construction use and the development of the metropolitan area. General housing policy As a low-income group, students prefer rental housing. However, the current housing and tax policy is firmly focused on the supporting of owner-occupied housing, which reduces the number of low-cost rental housing and increases the overall level of rent. The state's housing policy should support more of rental housing instead of owner-occupied housing. In addition to student housing production, the metropolitan area also needs other forms of affordable housing, which are also available for students. State-subsidised rental housing production in the metropolitan area should remain at least within the framework determined by the land use and housing implementation programme of Helsinki, i.e. 1,000 rental apartments each year. (Source: Kotikaupunkina Helsinki: asumisen ja siihen liittyvän maankäytön toteutusohjelma 2012) The measures regulating housing markets should be continued and intensified. The cities and the state should ensure affordable housing production by implementing construction works through their own housing production offices. Construction firms should be required to construct both non-subsidised, interest-subsidised and rental housing to the same areas. 2

3 Due to the particularly difficult housing situation in the metropolitan area, the state should subsidise non-profit rental housing construction to the metropolitan area by applying specific measures, such as investment grants, loan interest subsidies and affordable lending terms. The general housing construction should find ways to target the expenses caused by parking spaces to the users of parking spaces. The number of parking spaces should also be reduced in general. The obligation to build parking spaces in the inner city and its vicinity, as well as along rail lines should be completely discontinued. In the metropolitan area and particularly in Helsinki, the major demand in relation to the supply focuses on studios and two-room apartments, the rents of which are relatively the highest. Students who rent apartments in the open market usually look for small apartments. In order to help the situation and to limit the increase of the level of rent, the housing policy of Helsinki should promote the construction of small apartments, in particular. In addition to the construction of small apartments, the zoning and other housing policy of the City of Helsinki should promote more communal living. Changing the current family apartment housing structure more suitable for community housing, such as communes, is ecologically, economically and socially justified. There is a growing demand for communal living both among students and other city residents, which makes the change relevant in terms of the general housing market situation. Communal living also offers comfortable, safe and socially sustainable housing for our students. Plot policy in the metropolitan area When the cities in the metropolitan area provide plots for non-profit construction, the state should commit to assign similar plots at least in the same relation. In all new residential areas to be constructe, plots should be reserved for non-profit construction. Plots assigned for student housing from special groups should be located either near the higher education institutions in the area or close to good public transport connections. The assigning of plots in the cities of the metropolitan area and the general planning of the entire area should be transferred under the authority of new metropolitan administration. In this way, the housing situation in the metropolitan area could be addressed from the perspective of the development of the entire metropolitan area. Increasing the housing stock through complementary construction The housing stock in the metropolitan area should be increased by using attic construction, raising of buildings and other complementary construction, as well as construction to parking spaces and industrial areas that are no longer in use. Changing business premises and old industrial buildings into apartments should be promoted when economically reasonable. Increasing the amount of student housing New production of student housing in the metropolitan area (Helsinki-Espoo-Vantaa) should be increased in the years of At least 500 new student apartments should be constructed in a year. (Source: Opiskelija-asuntoselvitys 2012, Mikko Sedig) HYY's long-term goal is that half of the students in the metropolitan area could live in student housing. The level of rent in student housing should be more affordable than the level of rent in the open market. Helsingin yliopiston ylioppilaskunta info@hyy.fi Mannerheimintie 5 A, Helsinki, Finland 3

4 The campus principle, currently implemented by Hoas, meaning that new apartments are constructed near the universities or close to good transport connections, should be continued. It should be possible to construct student housing near the campuses without parking spaces. In addition to the construction of new buildings, Hoas should continue to review old properties and raise its own buildings or engage in other complementary construction. If necessary, Hoas should have the opportunity to renounce unprofitable buildings and buildings which are not much used. However, these measures should be clearly justified and they should support new construction. The total number of Hoas apartments should not be reduced because of the renouncing of certain locations. Quality of housing Applies to residential construction criteria, housing types requested by students and the practices of Hoas. Housing construction and location The cities and Hoas should take into account the ecology, energy efficiency, accessibility and comfortability of housing already during the construction phase and the planning of facilities. All new apartments of Hoas should be constructed accessible. Also, attention should be paid to accessibility in the surroundings of student housing. Good public transport connections between home, study place and other services are of primary importance and students also appreciate good connections. Already at the construction phase, the diversity of students should be taken into account: there is a need for various housing types and flexible floor designs, which enable the diverse use of apartments as friends', family or large community apartments. It is purposeful that Hoas has apartments of various prices and types. However, it is advisable to also construct shared apartments to new buildings, so that certain housing types do not only focus on certain areas and the supply of housing would be diverse and affordable enough. New construction and renovations should comply with strict criteria on energy efficiency and environmentally friendly materials. Significantly more flexible criteria should apply to student housing construction in terms of the construction of parking spaces and shelters. General housing construction should find ways to target the costs from parking spaces to the users of parking spaces. The number of parking spaces should also be reduced in general. Hoas should support pedestrian traffic by providing adequate number of locked bicycle storage facilities and bike racks where to lock bicycle frames. Hoas should favour renewable and ecologically sustainable options when acquiring electricity. Shared apartments and family apartments at Hoas Hoas should invest in the quality of shared and friends' apartments. Affordable shared apartments should also be comfortable. The comfort of living in shared apartments could be improved by placing students from the same campus to the same shared apartments when possible. 4

5 Students should be allowed to apply for shared apartments together with their friends, as the majority of poor aspects in shared apartments are related to unfamiliar roommates who do not get along with one another. Housing application should be developed into a more flexible direction, so that students can apply for friends and family apartments at the same time. Not everyone who apply for an apartment with children should be guided to only apply for family apartments. Hoas should take more flexibly into account the students' diverse relationships and the opportunities of trans people in shared apartments. In principle, shared apartments are not allocated according to gender, but the applicant should be able to choose whether they want to share the apartment with only the representatives of the same gender. Housing of international students Hoas should monitor the development of the number of international students and adjust its operations accordingly. The internationalisation objectives of universities and the national objectives should take into account the housing needs of the increasing number of students as well as the special features in the housing of international students. The integration of international students should be promoted so that international students would live in the same location with the Finnish students. This is particularly important in terms of international degree students. Hoas should amend its agreements concerning apartments rented for exchange students, so that the price of apartments of exchange students is determined in the same way as in other apartments. International students should not be treated unequally in the housing application process. The influencing opportunities of international students should be increased within Hoas. International degree students should also be represented in Hoas housing cooperative body either through residents' committees or with a separate mandate so that their voice can be heard in the decision-making of Hoas. Helsingin yliopiston ylioppilaskunta info@hyy.fi Mannerheimintie 5 A, Helsinki, Finland 5

6 The responsibility of the University The University of Helsinki and the higher education institutions in general, should take responsibility for the housing of their exchange students, and the housing affairs of international degree students when necessary. The University should inform international students about housing services comprehensively, clearly and in a reliable manner, so that persons who are not accustomed to the Finnish rental housing market could find apartments and sign rental agreements as easily as possible. The Student Union supports the University in the communications for international students. Housing of exchange students It is questionable that exchange students must pay for the expenses for empty apartments in their rents when living at Hoas if the housing guarantee is not realised for exchange students. Students should have the opportunity to stay in the apartment also during the summer and pay a lower rent, for example, if they wish to do so. Hoas should provide a separate service for furnished apartments, which the students can refuse if they wish to do so. Development of Hoas services HYY's objectives for the development of Hoas operations. Representatives appointed by HYY have the opportunity to promote objectives in Hoas administration. Hoas should have a more favourable attitude towards sensible alteration work made by residents in the apartments. The housing queue practices of Hoas should be made more transparent and clearer to housing applicants in order to give students the opportunity to clarify their situation during the housing application process. It is essential that Hoas takes individual needs into account, but the lack of a single clear queue should not result in the unequal treatment of applicants. Residents should have the opportunity to influence their environment through housing committees, for example. Common facilities are an essential prerequisite for residents' activities. In addition to financial grants, residents' activities should be supported by various means. International students should also have the opportunity to act in the residents' committees and they should be actively encouraged to participate in the activities. Residents' activities should also be advertised in English. All Hoas services, agreements and communications should be easily available in Swedish and English. Hoas should react to the residents' feedback on the healthiness of apartments and the comfort of living more efficiently than in the current situation. 6

7 Temporary housing solutions In addition to student housing, this section also concerns general housing construction. In this document, temporary housing refers to housing in locations which are not constructed for permanent use or temporary housing in a chargeable housing form not based on a rental agreement, such as accommodation services, which are more long term than hostel accommodation. The purpose is not to provide temporary housing for students for their entire study years, but only until the student finds a permanent apartment or until the need for housing is discontinued in other way, such as when the student exchange ends. Apartments constructed for temporary use are untypical housing construction, which are intended for temporary use already at the construction phase, or their lifespan is significantly shorter than in regular apartments, such as the construction of smaller dwellings or the so-called container apartments. Temporary housing or apartments constructed for temporary use are needed particularly for exchange and international students who have just arrived in Finland and students who have no accommodation in the autumn term. In the very poor housing situation of metropolitan area, temporary housing forms for students are acceptable according to HYY, and their development and introduction in the metropolitan area should be clarified. HYY does not organise emergency or temporary accommodation. However, we should ensure that the construction of temporary apartments does not compete with actual rental construction of non-profit student housing (e.g. funding, plots). All special arrangements should be intended to complement actual student housing. We should maintain high-quality student housing in Finland. HYY considers that exceptions could be made for apartments constructed for temporary use in terms of standards concerning other housing construction. These include regulations concerning, for example, the minimum size of the apartment, wet facilities, accessibility or energy efficiency. Exceptions are justified with the increase of the housing stock, particularly if construction is targeted to areas where there are no plans for permanent construction or where permanent construction cannot be implemented yet. These areas include, for example, areas within municipal infrastructure that are waiting for construction. In addition, attention should be paid to the ecology of housing throughout its life span. Temporary housing solutions of students should not impair their right to apply and receive housing offers from Hoas or impair their right to study social benefits. HYY should monitor the implementation of legal protection of its members in temporary housing. Helsingin yliopiston ylioppilaskunta info@hyy.fi Mannerheimintie 5 A, Helsinki, Finland 7