Off to a great start: supporting affordable housing for Slovenia’s young people
A new youth community building in Ljubljana, which is part-funded by the CEB, is providing modern, affordable accommodation, and social support, to young people as they complete their education and start their careers.
Slovenia, in common with many European countries, is experiencing major housing challenges. These are exacerbated by a high demand for student housing as well as AirBnB rentals, which have driven rents up, particularly in the capital, Ljubljana, and along the coast.
Indeed, a technical assistance study carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the CEB in 2021 found Slovenia needed 49,000 rental housing units and had an estimated housing investment gap of up to €4.7 billion. The report also highlighted that 3,200 student housing places were needed, requiring an investment of €77.5 million.
A unique response
The CEB has provided two loans to the Housing Fund of the Republic of Slovenia (HFRS) to help resolve these challenges, one in 2018 worth €50 million, and one in 2021 worth €70 million. This support is enabling the HFRS to provide innovative housing solutions, including the Gerbičeva Youth Community building, which it completed in 2021.
The Gerbičeva is in a quiet neighbourhood close to the centre of Ljubljana and is a first-of-its-kind building for Slovenia. It can house up to 171 people in 109 rental apartments for one, two or three people. There are also shared facilities and an intergenerational centre. However, residents must be aged between 18 and 29.
Mojca Rob, who lives in the Gerbičeva Youth Community building, says, “I didn't want to live in a private apartment and I couldn't get into student accommodation, so Gerbičeva seemed like the perfect option. I found the community idea appealing. It’s hard to find a decent place to live that’s affordable for students.”
Forward-thinking design
The design of the building follows the principles of the New European Bauhaus (NWB), which promotes beautiful buildings that are also environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive.
Makedonka Mateska, CEB Country Manager for Slovenia, says, “The Gerbičeva is an important building in many ways, and one of the most exciting new buildings in Slovenia. It is used by the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Ljubljana to showcase the latest in functional and modern design. The Gerbičeva also featured in the exhibition Looking for an Apartment - One Hundred Years of Organised Housing, which was held with the support of the HFRS at the Museum of Architecture and Design of Slovenia during Slovenia’s EU presidency in 2021.”
Providing peer support
The Gerbičeva, as well as giving young people a home, offers them a place where they can support each other as they begin their careers and adult lives. The design of the apartments and the communal spaces make it as easy as possible for people to socialise and get to know each other. Mojca says, “I enjoy living with people of my age and comparing our experiences.”
This is echoed by Daniel Bartolović, who works at the building: “The added value of the community are the wider connections and new acquaintances a young person can make.”
Inspired by the ethos of the building, a number of residents of Gerbičeva have even been motivated to ensure everyone receives the support they need, and that everything about the building works well. Rok Šarić, a resident explains, “We have set up a communication group to act as the voice of residents. We've organised the use of the laundry and common areas, and we're encouraging residents to meet and socialise.”
The wider strategy
The Gerbičeva is just one of the projects created in response to the Slovenian Government’s National Housing Programme 2015-2025, which aims to address the country’s pressing housing needs by:
- bringing unoccupied housing back into residential use
- increasing the accessibility of homes available for rent
- renovating existing housing stock
- promoting greater housing mobility.
The Gerbičeva sets the bar high for other projects within the programme. A spokesperson from the HFRS says, “Nearly a year after its opening, we’re proud that almost all residential units at the Gerbičeva Youth Community building are rented.”
“We at the CEB are very happy to have joined forces with the HFRS to strengthen the housing sector,” concludes Ms Mateska. “Thanks to our collaboration since 2018, we are providing a total of more than 1,700 new housing units in the country. We look forward to enhancing our cooperation with the Fund and extending our partnership with the Slovenian cities and their municipal housing funds.”
Virtual visit
SSRS Predstavitev projekta - Stanovanjski Sklad Republike Slovenije, Javni Sklad