Four houses in four months, each for less than 4,000 Euros

Four days before Christmas ETP Slovakia – Center for Sustainable Development workers will consign the houses to four Roma families together with the representatives of their sponsors – HFHI, UNDP, OSF, City of Moldava nad Bodvou. These families lost their homes to fire in August 2011.

The families spent last four months on the construction site. The city rented a property of 100 m² to every family. One quarter of the property 25 m² is covered by a small house. As soon as the families allocate sufficient funds, they will be able to gradually expand their housing.

Expert construction supervision was provided by construction manager of ETP Slovakia, purchase of construction material was secured via Savings program funded by Open society Foundation and Micro-credit program funded by Habitat for Humanity International, running water was secured thanks to the gift of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, electricity thanks to generous gift of member of European Parliament. Other sponsors include local construction company Ametys s.r.o. and language school Word Art.

Countless hours of voluntary work have been provided by representatives of The City of Moldava nad Bodvou and ETP Slovakia workers.

Inhabitants of Roma settlement Budulovska, including the members of famous Slumdog Theatre assisted the families in excavation works and cleaning the construction site within their leisure time without any compensation.

Modest houses have been built by the inhabitants of the Roma settlement; people, who with only one exception have been unemployed for the last 20 years and are considered to be unemployable.

Total cost of construction material per one house does not exceed 4,000 Euros, approx. 150 Eur/m².

Compared to:

Construction of low-standard rental housing via subsidies of Ministry of Transportation and Construction of SR envisage double unit price – 365 Eur/m². Average subsidy for apartment construction with the area of 55 m² is 16,900 Euros.

The proposal of implementation mechanism of pilot approach for supporting housing infrastructure from structural funds of European Union – construction of rental housing for marginalized groups, which based on the resolution of Slovak Government no. 392/2011, dated June 15^th, 2011 (material UV-18982/2011) is prepared by three ministries in cooperation with the Plenipotentiary for Roma communities of SR as a material for the Government, proposes the expenses for construction of an apartment with area 60 m² up to 880 Eur/m². Average cost of one apartment according to this proposal is 52,800 Eur.

For more information: project manager, Slavomír Kutaš, 055788856, or email: kutas @ ke.etp.sk.