App. 6
Internal draft programme for the International Tenants Day and ERHIN Awards Ceremony
Tenants empowerment and responsible housing
Energy efficiency, social innovation, inclusion and participation… What does this really mean in
practice? How to achieve these goals in the housing sector? How can we empower tenants and
inhabitants? Social landlords and tenants representatives want to discuss about solutions to new
societal challenges with EU and national stakeholders on the occasion of the International Tenants
Day. To celebrate the achievements in “responsible housing” in the EU, best practices will be
rewarded. At the end of the Day, we cordially invite you for a networking cocktail.
Date: October 6, 2014
Time: 10:00 – 18:00
Venue: North Rhine Westphalia Representation to the EU, Rue Montoyer 47, Brussels 1000
Moderator: Phil Morgan (independent commentator)
Introduction and logistics (5 min.)
10:00 – 10:30
Welcome by Rainer Steffens, Director NRW Representation to the EU [2 min.]
Welcome speech, Sven Bergenstråhle (IUT President) [5 min.]
Key note speech: “The Scottish Social Housing Charter: empowerment into practice”, Margaret
Burgess (Scottish Minister for Housing and Welfare) [15 min. / 10 min. + 5 min. Q&A]
10:30 – 11:10
Panel 1: local social sustainability, EN
Presenters: Ronald Paping (Nederlandse Woonbond Director, Member of ERHIN Stakeholder
Forum), Shazia Ishaq (MOI Foundation, Amsterdam) and Mellouki Cadat (Senior advisor at MOVISIE,
and active resident of the Indian quarter, Amsterdam)
Reactions from the floor: Orna Rosenfeld (UNECE), Sébastien Garnier, (Housing Europe Member)
Debate with the audience
Questions to…
1
Shazia Ishaq [10 min.]
-
What is MOI and why did you set it up?
You are working with many tenants, what are the main problems that they are facing
according to you?
Which form of support housing associations gave you?
Do you feel supported by the City of Amsterdam?
Mellouki Cadat [10 min.]
-
What are the specifics of the Indian quarter?
How did you manage to set up a neighbourhood organisation?
How can people be engaged when they are fighting in their daily life?
Ronald Paping [5 min.]
-
What are according to the Woonbond, the main aspects of commitment to local social
sustainability?
Concerning the support to these activities, what is the role of the State and the one of
housing associations? (about finance)
Do tenants have a formal say in neighbourhood development?
Orna Rosenfeld [5 min.]
-
UNECE is currently developing a Sustainable Housing Charter, are civil society organisations
consulted?
How can UNECE empower inhabitants/ tenants in having a say in their own neighbourhood?
What is the recipe to increase social mix according to UNECE?
Sébastien Garnier (Housing Europe Member) [5 min.]
-
Will tenants’ empowerment strengthen the role of housing providers in the Netherlands?
Will Dutch social housing still be affordable, with secure rent contracts?
11:10 – 11:50
Panel 2: environmental sustainability, FR
Presenters: Eddie Jacquemart (CNL President, Member of ERHIN Stakeholder Forum), Josiane
Lamotte (Elected tenants representative in HLM, Paris), N.N. (tenant in SDH estate, Echirolles)
Reactions from the floor: Ian Brossat (Deputy Mayor for Housing, City of Paris), Pierre Pribetich
(Housing Europe Member)
Debate with the audience
Questions to…
2
Josiane Lamotte [10 min.]
-
How tenants representative are elected in France?
As elected tenant’s representative in a HLM board, can you really change decisions?
Do you have a say in energy renovation investments of housing associations?
SDH tenant [10 min.]
-
In many cases energy renovation leads to higher rents, was that the case in your building?
Were you consulted concerning the concrete renovation measures?
Eddie Jacquemart [5 min.]
-
CNL is the main association representing tenants in HLM Boards. How do you ensure that
your representatives have the knowledge to participate in decisions?
Given the increasing energy costs for tenants, what is the role of CNL to empower and
increase awareness of tenants?
Ian Brossat [5 min.]
-
-
City of Paris is planning a big investment in affordable social housing. Please tell us the
details of the plan for the existing housing stock (so energy renovation and new
constructions).
What is your position on “rent freeze” in the rental sector?
Pierre Pribetich [5 min.]
-
Do you think the role of tenants’ representatives in HLM can be strengthened?
What are your claims towards the EU for reducing the environmental footprint of housing
stock?
11:50 – 12:10
Coffee break
12:10 – 12:50
Panel 3: good governance and relations with stakeholders, EN
Presenters: Michaela Kauer (Head of Representative office of the City of Vienna to the EU, Member
of ERHIN Stakeholder Forum) N.N. (Berlin); Dorte Skovgård, (tenant in DAB estate, Copenhagen)
Reactions from the floor: Bent Madsen (Housing Europe Member), Lukas Siebenkotten (Deutscher
Mieterbund, Berlin)
3
Debate with the audience
Questions to…
Dorte Skovgård [10 min.]
-
You are engaged in tenants’ democracy in Denmark; please tell us about your job.
What are your formal responsibilities as tenant Board member? How did you become a
“housing professional”?
What was your last major decision concerning your building?
German tenant [10 min.]
-
You are working in a tenants’ initiative in Berlin. Please tell us about your efforts to
empower tenants.
Do you think there is a need to have a formal tenants’ participation in Berlin?
Michaela Kauer [5 min.]
-
The City of Vienna is the biggest social housing provider in the world. How do you empower
your residents?
Vienna, as many capitals and big cities in the EU, has big migration flows. There is a strong
need for affordable housing. How to ensure the finance of it?
Bent Madsen [5 min.]
-
What can we learn from Denmark when it comes to tenants’ participation?
What is your experience working with grassroots organisations?
Lukas Siebenkotten [5 min.]
-
Is there communication and transparency on how and why decisions are taken, as well as on
expenses and services provided?
What are according to the German Union of tenants the first step to start with tenants’
participation in Germany?
12:50 – 13:30
Panel 4: economic sustainability, EN
Presenters: Sander Scheurwater (RICS Head of external affairs and EU liaison, Member of ERHIN
Stakeholder Forum) N.N. (tenant from RCT homes estate), Magnus Hammar (IUT Secretary-General)
Reactions from the floor: John McPeake (Housing Europe Member), Daniel Biard (Housing Europe
Member)
4
Debate with the audience
Questions to…
RCT homes tenant [10 min.]
-
Was it easy to get an affordable apartment in South Wales?
Is your landlord engaged in other activities than housing provision? For instance helping
tenants in job search or vocational training?
Magnus Hammar [5 min.]
-
Compared to the British example, what is the situation in other European countries?
Sander Scheurwater [5 min.]
-
What is the role of not-for-profit in supporting communities in Europe?
John McPeak [5 min.]
-
What are “community-benefits” schemes in the UK? And what is the role of housing
providers?
Daniel Biard [5 min.]
-
Not-for-profit housing providers are the front-runners when it comes to sustainable
investment in the estate and surroundings. Is this achievable in the whole housing market?
13:15 – 14:30
Lunch
Moderator: Phil Morgan
14:30 – 15:15 Developing together Responsible Housing in Europe
The European Responsible Housing Stakeholder Forum’s Declaration
Presentation by Barbara Steenbergen (IUT, Chair of the European Responsible Housing Stakeholder
Forum) and signature by the Stakeholder Forum members [10 min.]

The sector’s commitment: Supporting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Presentation of the Social and Affordable Housing sector’s CSR Roadmap (Francis Deplace, DELPHIS
General Delegate) [10 min.]
- Launch of the Responsible Housing CSR Code of Conduct for housing providers
Presentation by Sorcha Edwards (S-G Housing Europe) [10 min.]
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15:15 – 15:30 Coffee break
15:30 – 17:30 European Responsible Housing Awards Ceremony
Introduction to the Awards, Marc Calon (President Housing Europe) [5 min.]
Opening speech, Michael Ludwig (Housing Councillor, City of Vienna) [10 min.]
Announcement of shortlisted candidates and presentation of Awards Laureates in each category
[75 min.]
[5 min. per Award-giver + 10 min. per Laureate]
- Local social sustainability, Conny Reuter (SOLIDAR Director)
- Environmental sustainability, Claire Roumet (tbc, Energy Cities Director)
- Economic responsibility and sustainability, Peter Bolton-King (tbc, RICS Global Residential Director)
- Good governance and fair relations to stakeholders, Christian Lieberknecht (Housing Europe
Member)
- Responsible human resources management, Agnes Uhereczky (tbc, COFACE Director)
Photosession of shortlisted candidates and awards winners
Questions and reactions from the floor [30 min.]
17:30 – 18:00 Conclusions and perspectives
- CSR in Europe and in the housing sector: the way forward
Marco Curavic, Head of Unit, Entrepreneurship, DG Enterprise and Industry [10 min.]
Marc Calon, President Housing Europe [10 min.]
18:00 – 19:30 Networking cocktail
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