Lithuania moves to set standards for social housing

LRT reports that Lithuania’s Ministry of Social Security and Labour is proposing minimum quality standards for social housing, as non-governmental organisations warn that some residents live with rotten floors, mould and inadequate facilities.

The proposed standards would require social housing to have running water, heating, a sewage system, electricity and gas.

Stepas Visockis, a Vilnius resident, has called a 14-square-metre room home for 17 years. He lives alone and says the space is sufficient, but he is still waiting for an apartment.

“This little room was given to me temporarily. I am still on the waiting list for an apartment,” Visockis said.

He recalled finding mould when he first moved in almost two decades ago. He now says the walls need repairs because of cracks, with plaster falling away and bricks becoming visible.

Aistė Adomavičienė, head of a network of poverty-reduction organisations, said social housing conditions often barely resemble safe and suitable homes.

In one village, she said, a family’s refrigerator fell through the floor because it had rotted. The home had no running water and the toilet was outside, while the family included a baby.

Some homes do not even have sinks, while others have mould. Adomavičienė said mould can pose health risks to children when families move into such housing.

The biggest problem, however, is the waiting list. Some people have to wait as long as eight years for social housing.

Non-governmental organisations say the lack of clear requirements for social housing over many years is a key problem. Social Security and Labour Minister Inga Ruginienė plans to include the standards in the Law on Support for the Acquisition or Rental of Housing.

Ruginienė said the proposed rules contain basic requirements because social housing conditions are so varied. The ministry also wanted to include a mould criterion, but faced strong opposition. She said the issue falls under the responsibility of municipalities and that there were concerns about the costs of more detailed requirements.

Municipalities say they are not afraid of the changes, but question where the money to repair housing would come from.

Audrius Klišonis, president of the Association of Municipalities, said additional funding would be needed to carry out the work. He did not rule out longer waiting lists if no extra money is allocated, as funds normally used to buy new housing could instead be redirected to repairs.