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Norwegian State Housing Bank: Advancing Adequate and Sustainable Housing

This presentation discusses the Norwegian State Housing Bank's role in promoting secure, universally designed, and environmentally good housing. It highlights the shared responsibilities between public and private partners and the bank's focus on financial means, knowledge, and cooperation to reach housing goals.

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Norwegian State Housing Bank: Advancing Adequate and Sustainable Housing

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  1. Welcome to the Norwegian State Housing Bank Presentation for the UN-Habitat Pilot CitiesMarch 19th 2009 By Geir Barvik, executive director

  2. Adequate and secure housing for all • Secure housing for vulnerable groups in the housing market • Facilitate a well functioning housing market and efficient building processes • Promote universally designed housing, housing areas and environs • Promote environmentally good housing quality and building design • Promote sustainable development of places with favourable housing environments and neighborhoods

  3. ”The Norwegian Housing Model” – is there such a thing? • As everywhere: shared responsibilities between public and private partners • In Norway the state chose: • not to build • Not to manage • Not to own houses • Facilitate that municipalities, private co-operatives, private builders, and –later also the private credit market and NGOs fill their roles in a social, housing policy

  4. Results: good housing standards • 78 % own their dwelling • about 5% social, rental housing • 7% live ”over-crowded” , 2004 • 54 Sq. m. pr. person, 2003 • 6% people lived in cold and damp housing, 2004 • No adults lived without bathrooms in 2004 • Only ca. 7 % of housing accessible for wheelchairs

  5. Who does what - in the Norwegian Housing Policy

  6. The Norwegian State Housing Bank (Husbanken) • An agency under The Ministry of Local Development and Regional Development • The state instrument for implementation of national housing policies – and a useful one! • Less bank-focus than before • A lean, regionalized organization with multifunctions

  7. HB – a regionalised organisation; 350 employees; 6 regional offices: • Are important partners for municipalitites and local partners • Handles clients, disburses loans and grants • Knowledge centres; focus on information, capacity building activities • Closeness to clients, partners • Regionalisation – gives scope for local adaptations • New working methods

  8. How to reach the goals? Financial means Knowledge Co-operation and dialogue - Municipalities - Private building and credit sector - Knowledge ”industry” - Civil society - Other public agencies

  9. The Housing Bank (Husbanken) – a useful tool for national housing policy for 63 years • Policies and focus and the overall economy have changed, and so has the Housing Bank • The core has remained: Stable political commitment to social goals of housing policy • Flexibility and prudence keys to success

  10. We built the country…

  11. The housing bank measures • Traditionally to enable entry to the market • Modestly priced prime loans – no direct subsidies • Top up with start-up loans- through the municipalities • Grants to establish special housing solutions • Help the vulnerable to stay in a good house • Consumer support to purchase/ pay housing costs • Grants to research,capacity building and information

  12. The Housing Bank increasingly focus on • Disadvantaged in the housing market • Environmental and quality concerns of building sector • Inclusion –universal design

  13. Universal design- useful for all, necessary for some • Strong public focus on improved accessibility • Starting point: equality for all • Ageing population increases need for more accessible housing • A long time perspective; inexpensive if planning long term (as for environmental thinking-) • We shall all need it sometimes.. Rampe, Høyskolen på Gjøvik

  14. Universal design and housing - challenges • Existing housing- what to do? • Only 7% fully accessible by wheelchairs • Number of accessible houses increase slowly • Inexpensive if included at planning stage - need to think ahead • Education and resources needed but most of all change in attitudes

  15. Environment and energy – particularly important in cities • Reduce energy use in contruction • Increased density • Reduce use of harmful substances and emissions • Reduce waste • Environmental building processes, management and maintenance • Save energy costs Huseby Amfi, Stjørdal

  16. The Housing Bank and energy goals for 2020 • Halved energy requirements in all housing built or rehabilitated • At least half of all supply of energy shall be from renewable energy sources How: • Pilot projects • Bridge knowledge and market • International co-operation • Research • Development of standards

  17. Thank you for your attentionwww.housingbank.no

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