We started mapping existing policies, programs and initiatives to better understand the reality of integration and access to housing while identifying the barriers and obstacles faced by immigrants in Europe. We conducted literature reviews and interviewed national and local stakeholders (policy makers, activists, etc.) to have a complete understanding of the phenomenon and the difficulties met by each actor. This allowed to highlight the complexity of the integration scheme in each country, but also to point out the critical role played by housing in this regard – housing being closely related to access to education, training, employment and social cohesion. Housing also has a strong influence on people’s mental and physical health as good quality housing can help start a new life while a bad quality housing can have negative consequences on one’s mental and physical wellbeing.
We studied some relevant and innovative housing initiatives in Italy, Spain, Sweden and France. The objective was to better understand how these facilities were built and managed, identify the type of activities offered to residents and see whether these types of hybrid facilities influenced in facilitating immigrants’ integration and at what speed. This second step allowed us to highlight the specificities and common characteristics of hybrid housing, establish typologies of operating models (with regards to governance, for example) and ultimately propose a social business model canvas to support the design phase of the three pilot projects.
These efforts allowed to assess the feasibility of participatory pilots before implementing, testing and evaluating them in 3 European Cities: Valencia (Spain), Gothenburg (Sweden) and Lyon (France).
Under the supervision of Quatorze and with the support of local stakeholders, we built three pilots having their own personality, their own soul and specificities.
Project' overall process also led to two different evaluations and sets of propositions: one dedicated to policy makers and one relative to the consortium, its collaborations and productions.
Finally, we have reached the following results:
-16 livable houses adapted to the local context:
• Cocon in Lyon: 7 tiny houses and a yurt as a common space connected to the neighbors, with social mix and individual social follow-up
• Anna in Gothenburg: an ecological floating tiny house in a neighborhood with a strong sense of community.
• Caliu Urba in Valencia: 8 renovated flats and a common space in the historical center of the city allowing social mix and connection with neighbors.
- 3 multi-actor local networks
- Several dozens of inhabitants’ effective mobilization
- Social follow-up provided to 18 people in Valencia, to 1 in Gothenburg and to 5 in Lyon
- recommendations for decision-makers.
Our recommendations come directly from our experience within MERGING. They are addressed to decision-makers at the local, national and European levels, and can be summed up in 3 key messages:
• support innovative initiatives - think on the long run -develop relations and networks
• ensure multi-actor approach and a participative governance
• disseminate the experimentation
Results were disseminated at a final conference in Brussels on April 18, 2024.
Public reports, a handbook for pilot replication, policy briefs and a brochure with recommendations are available on the project web site.
