Habitat for Humanity Hungary

Contact information HFH Hungary Podmaniczky u. 91.fsz 1 Budapest 1062 Hungary Phone: +36 13541084 Fax: +36 3541085 E-mail: sumeghy.gyorgy@habitat.hu         Web site www.habitat.hu				Habitat's Work in Hungary Number of families served this year*: 56 Full house sponsorship cost: US$61,400 Incremental house sponsorship cost: US$2,760         Hungary News and Stories Researching the housing need in Hungary We helped build it! Habitat’s CEO and staff roll up their sleeves in Hungary
Country profile

Habitat for Humanity has been serving families in Hungary since 1996. That year, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and more than 500 volunteers came to build 10 homes in a week in Vác. Since then, Habitat for Humanity has supported more than 340 families through a variety of initiatives, ranging from new construction to home improvements.

The housing need in Hungary

Twenty years after the fall of communism, Hungary is still struggling to improve its housing stock and find housing solutions for low-income and vulnerable citizens. One out of four houses in the country is overcrowded, and the poor quality and affordability of housing also are problems.

Housing privatization of the late 1980s hurt most low-income families. First, the social housing sector shrank, resulting in home waiting lists for more than 10 years. The small percentage of homes in the public sphere consist mainly of one room without basic amenities. Second, the majority of privatized houses had been built from low-quality, prefabricated materials. Although people could buy this property, they cannot afford to maintain it. The situation is aggravated by skyrocketing utility costs. Home maintenance can be as high as 50 percent of household income.

How Habitat addresses the need

In 2009, as a result of the economic crisis, the Hungarian government scrapped housing benefits for low-income families. Without the state support, many Hungarians cannot afford to take out mortgages. Many continue to live in over-crowded and low-quality homes. Habitat Hungary is trying innovative ways of supporting low-income groups by working on the rehabilitation and extension of private and social housing units.

Here are some examples of Habitat projects in Hungary:

• Repairing individual and social-rental units
Habitat works with low-income families on repairing and renovating residential and social-rental apartments. Work can range from fixing ceilings and walls to replacing old windows and doors, along with adding mezzanines where possible and improving heating systems to help families save money on their energy bills. All families pay back the cost of renovations to Habitat. This money then goes back to the Revolving Fund and is used to finance similar work for other households.

• Condominium renovations
Habitat works with tenants’ associations to help residents improve basic building structure and common areas. Most Hungarians live in grey Soviet-style multiple-apartment blocks that lack maintenance. Some of the buildings have never been upgraded since their construction 40 years ago. Habitat offers condominium associations loans and free construction expertise to overhaul roofs, repair staircases and improve insulation in such buildings.

• Institutional renovations and extensions
In 2010, Habitat for Humanity Hungary starts renovating and constructing an annex to the autistic home in Miskolc. The autistic home was opened in 1996, but in a very small and crumbling building. In this part of Hungary, there are thousands of people suffering from autism, and Miskolc is the only institution to offer them support. After the renovation, the institution will be able to accommodate more residents and expand its support services.

Meet a Habitat family

Gabriella and Zsolt live in Tevel with their seven children. The family lived in a smaller apartment with no utilities until 2003, when they bought their current home. The building is poorly insulated, so the Habitat funds will be spent to improve the energy efficiency of the family’s home.