Among other measures, the union is calling for at least 2% of municipal budgets to be allocated to social housing, the creation of institutions such as a ‘tenants’ advocate’ and a municipal mechanism to inspect the habitability of rented homes, protection against evictions, controls on rent speculation and short-term rentals, and incentives for the use of empty homes through social rental agencies.

In a statement, the Thessaloniki Tenants’ Union highlighted the need for local government to assume a more substantive and active role in tackling the housing crisis, putting forward a series of proposals to strengthen social housing and protect tenants.

The union argues that the housing issue cannot be treated solely as a matter of management, but requires integrated social policies from municipalities. In this context, it proposes, among other measures, the institutionalisation of a fixed expenditure of at least 2% of the annual municipal budget for social housing actions, the creation of a municipal ‘tenants’ advocate’, and a mechanism to inspect basic habitability conditions in rented homes.

The union’s demands are as follows:

‘The Thessaloniki Tenants’ Union demands that local government stop treating the housing crisis as a management issue and take an active role in social housing policy.

‘We call for:

‘The institutionalisation of a fixed expenditure of at least 2% of the annual municipal budget for social housing.

‘The creation of a mechanism for collecting the real estate duty (TAP) exclusively from those actually liable, namely landlords, or, if the current practice continues, the explicit and exclusive commitment of the relevant revenues to social housing.

‘The creation of a municipal institution of “tenants’ advocate” within municipal community centres.

‘The creation of a municipal housing inspection body, with the aim of checking basic habitability conditions in rented homes.

‘The institutionalisation of rent control mechanisms in cases where landlords receive municipal support.

‘Intervention and protection against evictions, especially during the winter season and during the school year for families with children.

‘The channelling into social housing of sums generated by the mechanism for returning part of the surplus value created through renovations.

‘Strong incentives for empty homes to be made available to a public social rental agency, so that they can be renovated and made available for at least 15 years at a socially controlled rent, as well as the imposition of increased municipal fees on homes that are kept unjustifiably empty and are not made available to the agency.

‘The systematic recording of municipal land and real estate stock, with the aim of granting it on preferential terms to non-profit projects for housing production and social use.

‘Control over the speculative exploitation of housing through short-term rental platforms.

‘The strengthening of the municipality’s technical service, so that it can operate as a municipal body for repairs, renovations and small-scale construction with a social orientation.’

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