Infrahabitatge a Catalunya

Abstract

Housing is one of the major indicators of social inequality. Economical status determines people’s ability to insure a dignifying home and their social integration. Social effects of the existence of “infrahousing” in Catalonia are analysed through: - the “infrahousing” situations, either remaining from original deficient conditions or from later constructive pathologies, which affect about a hundred housing estates; - the processes leading to “infrahousing”, deterioration of houses, buildings and urban surroundings with the risk of excluding immigrants and poor people, urban and socially speaking. It is proposed a housing policy which: - compromises with the remodelling of housing estates, giving priority to the “infrahousing” situations, and it is provided with proper resources; - conducts a firm control of living conditions and maintenance of both houses and buildings, either by owners or by tenants, avoiding new “infrahousing” processes; - promotes co-operation between public and social entities committed to the problem, creating a permanently actualised data bank with information on situations and actions.