Development
of the Bulgarian Housing Association
Since its inception, the Bulgarian Housing Association has carried out research and development work in a number of areas:
Consultancy and Research:
Bulgarian Housing Sector Database:
BHA has constructed a database monitoring the housing situation in Bulgaria. Experts with long experience in housing statistics have put together information on the housing market, the financial performance of particular developments, as well as information about housing developers and providers of building materials.
Bulgarian Country
Profile (1995) - an overview of Bulgarian
Housing Sector in the period of transition to the market economy.
Made by experts from BHA with collaboration of the Ministry for
Regional Development and Housing Policy and support from an International
Expert Team at the UN Economic Commission of Europe.
Urban
Housing Indicators
(1995-1996) - an extensive survey for the city of Sofia - part
of the East European Survey, made by HABITAT and USAID.
Energy Efficiency of the Bulgarian Building Sector (1995) - an expert estimation about the housing sector, initiated by the Bulgarian Energy Efficiency Foundation.
Bulgarian Housing
and Urban Indicators (1996-1997) - a national survey for the HABITAT II Conference, conducted
by the UN and World Bank.
Monitoring of the Bulgarian Housing Sector - an yearly updated report about the main features of the housing markets, affordability housing demand and households budgets.
Strengthening the Role of Local Governments and the Third Sector in Housing (2002-2003) – a project developed with Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies and Bowcentrum International (The Netherlands).
Energy Efficiency in Social Housing (2005- ) - projects supported by European Union:
Sustainable Housing Management in Bulgaria - Improving the capacity of homeowners associations of multi-family apartment buildings (2005-2006). The project was supported by Dutch Foreign Ministry (MATRA) programme. Under the project a new Union of Homeowners Association (CAC) was established.
The Bulgarian Housing Association has been involved in the governmental initiatives of creating and adopting new legal framework for social housing including:
- Preparation of the National Housing Strategy.
- Elaboration of the National Programme for Renovation of Condominium Buildings in Bulgarian big cities.
- Preparation of the draft Condominium Law and facilitating the nationwide discussion with foreign experts' participation.
Pilot Projects:
Promotion and Development of the Third sector in the Local Housing Provision - a joint project between BHA and partners from the Northern Ireland. The project was aimed at increasing the staff training and managing abilities of the BHA. Further development of the project was to the phase of investment development – construction of apartments for limited income residents (Affordable Housing Project).
Building partnerships for sustainable maintenance of condominium buildings in Sofia - a joint project with 2 Dutch Housing Associations and Foundation Housing+, supported also by the Dutch Foreign Ministry (MATRA) programme. The project was targeted at energy efficient renovation and subsequent management of existing multi-storey buildings in Bulgaria through creation of unions of homeowners.
16/08/07