Refugee housing services of Caritas International Belgium Share Conference - 20-21 february 2014 With support of the European Refugee Fund Table of contents 1. Individual housing for asylum seekers 2. Taylor-made assistance of recognised refugees in terms of housing 3. Housing for resettled refugees in Belgium 2 1
Housing Service: Management of individual housing for asylum seekers Presentation by Bert Jacobs Caritas International 20/02/2014 Bruxelles Table of contents 1. Individual housing for asylum seekers A. What we do (housing service) B. How do we find housing C. What is available for the clients D. Maintenance E. Maintenance : Practical tips 2. Taylor-made assistance of recognized refugees in terms of housing 3. Housing for resettled refugees in Belgium 4 2
A. WHAT WE DO (housing service) Provide housing for asylum seekers in their asylum procedure Providing quality housing Maintenance & repairs 5 B. HOW DO WE FIND HOUSING Difficulties : prejudices & prices market Advantage : crisis 3 big advantages Rental payment : 100% guaranteed Technical monitoring Social monitoring Word of mouth Private market Internet Ads Catholic network Real estate agencies Own property 15% 6 3
C. WHAT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE CLIENTS Basic equipement: Supplies that remain in the lodging Furniture from the thrift shop Electrical appliances in good condition Equipment for eating and cooking Beds and mattrasses Home equipment for donation Cleaning kit Hygiene package Pots & pan Sheets & blankets 7 D. MAINTENANCE Delocalized technicians Stock : big one in Brussels and different small ones Maintanance : everyday problems & preparing for new residents Database : planning & worktool Owners External companies Who should solve the problem? 8 4
E. MAINTENANCE : PRACTICAL TIPS Everyone is involved : clients, technician, social worker & housing manager. Meetings : technician, social worker & housing manager. Give a clean house Technical inventory & guarantee Follow up housing manager : intense presence in the field Energy bill : 6 monthly check up Accountability for damages Maintenance contract gas fired boilers Leaving home = cleaning package 9 Integration Cel : Taylor-made assistance of recognised refugees in terms of housing Presentation by Ariane Dewandre Caritas International 20/02/2014 Bruxelles 5
Table of contents 1. Individual housing for asylum seekers 2. Taylor-made assistance of recognised refugees in terms of housing A. Work of the «integration cel» B. Belgian housing context C. Support for refugees in search of housing 3. Housing for resettled refugees in Belgium 11 A. WORK OF THE INTEGRATION CEL Assistance for 2 years Taylor-made Integration coaches All over Belgium Target : Vulnerable groups 1) Coach project Refugees recognized in closed centers (accelerated recognition) Other vulnerabilities: Single mothers, medical situations, handicap, psychosocial problems, illiterate, etc. 2) Unaccompanied underage refugees 3) Resettled refugees 12 6
A. WORK OF THE INTEGRATION CEL The puzzle of starting life in Belgium starting with housing 13 A. WORK OF THE INTEGRATION CEL Housing Address @ Municipality CPAS (5 weeks) Identity Card (2 months) Social benefits Social worker Health insurance Language Classes Employment services Bank account 14 7
B. BELGIAN HOUSING CONTEXT Shortage of social housing Mistrust of private owners Shortage of cheap housing (especially in big cities) Problem of warrantees: - Cash warrantees -> No loans! - No capital? Need owner who accepts blocked warrantee! - Loan = Complicated & long procedure 15 B. BELGIAN HOUSING CONTEXT Single person, cohabiting Single person, living alone Family + 544 (income) + 817 (income) + 1090 (income)? (rent) - 500 (average rent) - 650 (average rent) - 100 (average energy costs) - 150 (average energy costs) + child benefits 16 8
B. BELGIAN HOUSING CONTEXT Consequences for refugees: Long searching period (delay for social benefits and health insurance) Poor quality housing Abusive & irresponsible owners High energy costs Legal problems Bad housing conditions : = Precariousness, stress, debts, legal problems = Prevents from focusing on language learning and dealing with other problems Time loss in integration process 17 C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING Search on the private housing market Our strategy? Coach Guarantees legal status of refugee Guarantees social follow-up Is a middle-person in case of problems Drawbacks : Time consuming How to avoid bad owners? 18 9
C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING Ideal : Partnerships with good owners - Respect of laws (maintenance) - Accepting blocked warrantee - Willing to wait for first rent - Open communication Challenges to gaining loyalty and trust - Long delays for benefits or warranty - Benefits at end of month - Communication problems owners-tenants 19 C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING 20 10
C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING Information Linguistic regions, urban / rural Price/value (budget) Confrontation with reality Advice on how to look Means : transport tickets and phone credit Contact with owners (phone, visits) Moving in Renting contract & inventory Meter reading & supplier s contracts Renting insurance Solution for the warranty Objective : Enable refugee to become self-reliant as soon as possible. 21 C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING Objective : Enable refugee to become self-reliant as soon as possible. Administrative steps Municipality Social benefits request Health insurance Basic needs Food help Medical or psychological help Basic installation kit Hygienic kit Cooking kit Furniture kit Linking to a local network Peter- en Meter project: Experts by experience Knowing your environment 22 11
C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING Individual housing and isolation Single people live apart in studio s Reduced benefits for cohabitants ( cost sharing presumption) Collective housing is discouraged Partnership with owners : Can establish solidarity between tenants of the same building Organization of collective activities to break isolation 23 C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING Awareness-building HOW TO MANAGE MY HOUSE Understanding renting contracts Blocked warrantee Entry and exit inventories, Rights & obligations of tenants and owners Notice terms 24 12
C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING Awareness-building HOW TO MANAGE MY WASTE AND MY ENERGY Sorting waste Saving on energy Understanding bills 25 C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING Awareness-building HOW TO MANAGE MY BUDGET Making a monthly budget and knowing what you spend to make ends meet 2nd hand and other ways to save Avoiding debt Paying bills Taxes OCMW Huur Electriciteit gas - water Voedsel Transport Telefoon Gezondheid / mutualiteit Kleren Lessen / School ( / 12 mnd) Sparen + - 817-400 -90-250 0-15 -12-20 -15-15 = 817-817 26 13
C. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE SEARCH OF HOUSING 27 Integration Cel : Taylor-made assistance of resettled refugees Presentation by Elisabeth Verniers Caritas International 20/02/2014 Bruxelles 14
Table of contents 1. Individual housing for asylum seekers 2. Taylor-made assistance of recognised refugees in terms of housing 3. Housing for resettled refugees in Belgium A. Timeline of resettlement B. Housing through Social Public Welfare Centres C. Moving to the municipality D. Integration support by CPAS and NGO 29 3. Taylor-made assistance of resettled refugees A. TIMELINE OF RESETTLEMENT Selection mission by the CGRA* / dossier selection Distribution of files between Caritas / Convivial Arrival in Belgium Reception Centre Assistance to integration 6 weeks Selection of candidate CPAS* Cultural Orientation Mission by Fedasil* Move to municipality CPAS: Public Social Welfare Centres CGRA: Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons Fedasil: Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers 30 15
B. HOUSING THROUGH SOCIAL PUBLIC WELFARE CENTRES (CPAS) CPAS proposes housing in their municipality (1 year) Fedasil matches housing with selected dossiers NGOs distribute cases according to regional experience 31 32 16
B. HOUSING THROUGH SOCIAL PUBLIC WELFARE CENTRES (CPAS) A good practice, because Direct availability of housing Good quality housing, adapted to size of family All communication with landlord via CPAS Financial assistance during first month when income is not yet available No problem with payment of warrantee or first rent Faster administration = faster access to rights = faster integration Double assistance in terms of maintenance of housing (CPAS + NGO) Challenging, because Regional dispersion of refugees Regional differences in terms of cost of life and integration facilities Housing only 1 year, transition to private housing since social housing is scarce 33 A collaboration between 3 partners CPAS NGO Fedasil C. MOVING TO THE MUNICIPALITY 34 17
C. MOVING TO THE MUNICIPALITY First things first Transport and luggage Lunch First tour in the house Electrical appliances Heating Cooker Bath and shower Safety In case of emergency? Where am I? First money, first food Next appointment 35 D. INTEGRATION SUPPORT BY CPAS AND NGO 36 18
D. INTEGRATION SUPPORT BY CPAS AND NGO 37 D. INTEGRATION SUPPORT BY CPAS AND NGO 38 19
Thanks for you attention! 20