UIA projects at the International Social Housing Festival

The ISHF highlights the essential link between the homes we live in, the cities we inhabit and the overall quality of life. Acknowledging this link means recognising the extremely complex landscape that cities, in Europe and beyond, have to navigate in order to find housing solutions that are affordable, fair and inclusive. To face such complexity, cities are increasingly shaping new partnerships with different local stakeholders to experiment new bold solutions in a real urban scale.

In 2018, five UIA projects have been funded under the topic of Housing (Brussels Capital Region, Ghent, Mataro, Lyon Metropole and XIV district of Budapest). Demonstrating once more the integrated nature of any policy related to housing, the five projects approach the question under different but complementary angles, from housing affordability to social mix and energy efficiency. The solutions proposed are diverse and include Community Land Trust schemes or subsidy retention mechanisms as well as new municipal housing cooperatives, new construction techniques and temporary uses of working sites. 
In addition, although not selected under the topic of Housing, three other UIA projects (Antwerp, Athens and Nantes) have a focus on inclusive housing solutions for marginalised target groups (refugees and homeless people).
The L’Autre Soie site, the centre of the UIA project Home Silk Road in Lyon, will offer a perfect setting to gather for the first time all UIA projects with a focus on housing:

• Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about each project and attend a panel discussion where UIA cities will bring their perspective on the main topics of the ISHF (housing for all; right to the city; a planet for tomorrow).
• The event will continue with different activities on the site of L’Autre Soie to discover the incredibly rich activities already going on and to imagine together how it will evolve with the UIA project Home Silk Road.
• Finally a festive moment will be offered by the different organisations active in the area!

The findings of the workshop will be presented next day during the annual agenda-setting event around public, cooperative and social housing in Europe.