Student housing in Ghent

EUniverCities
URBACT Peer Review Meeting - Ghent
3 December 2014
Room for students
Student housing in the city
Ms Hilde Reynvoet, Head of the Housing Service, City of Ghent
Table of contents
• Working together: partnership Kotatgent
• Student housing IN the city
• Different types of student housing
• Student housing policy/plan – Room for students
• Inspired by Urbact partners
• Challenges: context and approach
• What are your findings and tips on …
• Contact
STUDENT HOUSING AND THE CITY
Partnership Kotatgent
Partners:
• 2 Universities and
4 University colleges
• Student representatives
• The City of Ghent (Housing
Service, Student Officer,
Deputy Mayor Housing and
Deputy Mayor Education)
Goal:
Creating a shared view on
student housing for the future
and discussing specific issues
with the local policy makers
STUDENT HOUSING IN THE CITY
30,000 students or almost half of
the Ghent student population
• are living IN the city and not
on campus outside the city
• mainly close to HEI
• mainly during the week, most
of them go home on the WE
• have no official registration of
residence in Ghent, except
11,12% e.g. students born in
Ghent, foreign students
• in different types of housing
30,000 students or
almost half of the
Ghent student
population are living in
the city, most of them
in the centre.
No student rooms
Ghent campuses
Most students live
near University and
University College
campuses
The darker the colour,
the more students
compared to the
number of inhabitants
DIFFERENT TYPES OF STUDENT HOUSING
50% of the students rent a room,
23% rent a studio,
www.kotatgent.be
[27% share or live in a house or an
apartment]
STUDENT HOUSING: many possibilities for students
Almost 7,000 students in
2,800 houses.
Individual private
owners rent rooms.
Strict Flemish rules and
regulations, local fire
safety standards.
STUDENT HOUSING: many possibilities for students
Almost 2,000 students
in large scale housing.
Private owners rent
collective buildings
with at least 50 rooms
or studios in one
building.
STUDENT ACCOMMODATION: Artevelde
University College and Ghent University
Artevelde University
College hires 235
rooms and rents them.
Ghent University has
its own buildings and
rents 2345 units (1390
rooms, 551 rooms plus, 105
comfort rooms, 191 studios, 108
flats.)
ACCOMMODATION FOR INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS: hostel and hospitality
Temporary stay at affordable
prices.
Lots of services e.g. washing
machine, restaurant, kitchen, …
close to university (college)
and shared spaces.
Expensive for long term stay.
Official registration of
residence not possible.
Student Housing
Policy/Plan
Unique in Ghent & in Flanders
Participatory process (6 months)
• Input from brainstorms with all
actors (schools, students,
city,…) on student housing
topics
• Discussion with universities and
university colleges in Ghent
• Political dialogue
Formally approved Sept 2014
Linked to Student Policy Plan
How to cope with
challenges in the
future, bearing in
mind the
increasing number
of students?
INSPIRED BY URBACT PARTNERS
European cities learn from each other.
What is different?
What is similar?
How can we implement good practices?
Good practice from Delft
Living in the city
Community building
Renovation projects by students
Large scale student housing
Good practice from Aachen
Campus
Organisation of student life
Working together
Long term vision
CHALLENGES: CONTEXT AND APPROACH
Need for affordable houses for families
Increasing number of international students
Student needs today and tomorrow
The City doesn’t build student housing
ROOM FOR STUDENTS
STUDENT HOUSING PLAN
Sufficient student housing
in number, type, affordability,
variable availability,
varied locations,
in quality, safety and
sustainability
Welcoming
increasing number
of international
students
Transparency
Clarity
in local rules,
communication and
advice
New types of
student housing
Living in harmony
1. Need for affordable, more and different
types of student housing: context
increase of 3,600 regular students in 1 year!:
• (too) many old and unadapted student
rooms in former family houses
• limited student facilities at HEI’s
• increasing “hidden” student housing at
regular housing market (at the expense of
housing needs of families)
• over-concentration of students in certain
parts of the city, close to campuses
• many private landlords, few large
promotors
2. Studentification: context
Impact on neighbourhoods/public space:
-
-
-
student community pushes the original
community of the neighbourhood away or
even takes over
undesirable effects such as vandalism,
mobility and parking problems, housing
market prices under pressure.
seasonal community, threatening the
demographic balance and social cohesion
of the neighbourhood
3. New types of student housing: living with a
landlady: context and approach
New: legal frame available so 1 student can
board with a senior or family
Goal: offer affordable student housing,
financial support and practical care for owner,
stabilize rental price
New in the future: student apartments
What are your findings and tips on….
DISCUSSION: TOPIC 1
Internationalisation:
How to meet
housing needs and
requirements
of international students?
DISCUSSION: TOPIC 2
Who invests
in student housing
in your city
and why?
DISCUSSION: TOPIC 3
Good practices
of large student housing:
individual owners v.
one owner who rents all
DISCUSSION: TOPIC 4
How to reconcile
student housing needs
with family housing needs?
CONTACT
[email protected]
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Thank you for your attention