The Social Rental Agency of MDAT operates in the framework of the implementation of the strategy for Social and Affordable Housing in Thessaloniki and to ensure access to affordable and social housing for the residents of the city through the creation of a social rental sector.
Through the Social Rental Agency, housing interventions will be supported as part of an overall effort to support an increasing number of socially and economically vulnerable groups but, at the same time, to promote a more balanced urban development and tackle energy poverty.
For this purpose, a specialised administrative unit has been created within the organisational chart of MDAT, with the exclusive purpose of designing, developing, coordinating and implementing Affordable Housing policies. This unit operates on the basis of the model of “Social Rental Services” and is the reference body for the implementation of housing policy and energy poverty alleviation programmes in the Municipalities of Thessaloniki. The unit manages projects related to the right to housing and the provision of social housing such as the Pilot Programme and Kalipsi etc.
The central objective of the Social Rental Agency is the creation of a “pool” of Affordable Housing under public supervision through the utilization and re-gaining of the dormant and depreciated building stock and their management within the framework of the implementation of housing programs matched with vulnerable social groups at affordable prices and with social criteria.
Ensuring affordable and decent housing for individuals and households residing in Thessaloniki, permanently or temporarily, who face conditions of income or housing precariousness, with emphasis on vulnerable groups or groups facing urgent housing needs.
Expanding existing alternatives and introducing new measures and housing delivery models for increasing access to affordable housing.
Contributing to the development of a long-term and integrated local housing policy for the Municipalities of Thessaloniki.
Social Rental Agencies (SRAs) are public or private non-profit housing organisations that address the housing problems of poor and vulnerable people. SRAs are part of an intervention to ensure adequate and affordable housing for vulnerable tenants through the socialisation of the private rented sector or mobilisation of public properties for the same purpose. This means withdrawing the management of private rented housing from free market mechanisms and replacing it with social management.
The objectives of the SRAs are:
The way the social renting model works is based on the conclusion of contracts, whereby mutual commitments are made between all the main parties involved.
The contractual arrangement is concluded between:
01. Owner of the property (private individuals/natural persons, legal entities under private or public law or commercial enterprises).
02. The ‘tenant’ who leases the offered property, at affordable prices (less than the average market value and at a price that housing costs do not surpass 40% of their income).
03. The implementing agency of the programme (SRA), which facilitates the availability of the housing units (including through renovation, refurbishment, identification of affordable prices, matching).
Identification, assessment of the condition and suitability of the property, registration in the Affordable Housing Register.
Undertaking renovation and/or energy upgrading works on behalf of the owner in exchange for availability of the property for long-term commitment to pre-defined affordable rents.
Ensure the creation of a new stock of Affordable Housing through cooperation with the wider public sector, social and private actors and the use of appropriate urban planning tools and financial instruments for property management and development.
Mediation and monitoring of Affordable Housing contracts (development of monitoring/support/mediation mechanisms to monitor the terms of tenancy, intervention in cases of non-compliance, resolution of potential disputes).
Management and monitoring of the socialised properties
Social and technical support to households to ensure security of tenure
Monitoring of the housing market and trends in housing exclusion (housing observatory).
Development of a communication, information, awareness raising interventions and ensure coordination and cooperation among key stakeholders.
With the support of the Greek Plan funded under the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the Social Rental Agency undertakes the renovation and energy upscaling of vacant public housing stock, initially 30 apartments of which 1 whole building, and ensures that these properties are matched with vulnerable groups through pre-identified “social rent”, lower than average market prices and at levels which do not constitute overburden for low-income households. Here are the characteristics of the properties and information on the upgrading interventions.
