INTERVIEW with the Regional Housing Inspectorate Social Unit

Jorgina Soares: "We provide tailor-made social support for tenants who have had to leave their non-compliant homes because they are under a rental ban. This support begins with individual interviews so we can better understand the needs of each tenant."

Daniella Jaramillo: "We also grant five priority rights to tenants on the social housing waiting list. We also provide financial assistance for moving and rent costs."

Jorgina Soares: "Our proactive approach enables us to tailor our intervention specifically to the tenant's situation, providing varied and flexible support. So our involvement goes way beyond implementing administrative tasks."

Grégory Rase: "Soon, there will be nine. Four new transit housing units are currently being built and will be ready to welcome new occupants by the end of 2024. These units facilitate the rehousing of tenants faced with an urgent need to move due to the serious state of insalubrity of their dwelling and a decision to place them under a rental ban. Tenants can live there for a maximum of 18 months."

Jorgina Soares: "Tenants considered for this rehousing solution are selected according to their degree of urgency or social hardship. We put together a file and submit it for approval to our manager, who decides whether the conditions for transit accommodation have been met."

Daniella Jaramillo: "We carry out a number of tasks to manage the transit accommodation, such as having an external service provider complete entry and exit inventories of fixtures and fittings, draw up occupancy agreements and record energy and water meter readings. We make sure the rent is paid regularly, and issue payment reminders if necessary."

Grégory Rase: "Due to the housing crisis in Brussels, it has become very difficult for a large number of Brussels residents to access adequate housing. Rising rents, low incomes and a lack of affordable housing make rehousing difficult."

Daniella Jaramillo: "Our role of offering constant coaching to our users is crucial, especially given the many rejections they encounter during their search for a new home on the rental market. After a while, they become disappointed or discouraged. That is why we continue to encourage them not to give up."

Jorgina Soares: "We also organise housing meetings. We set up an individual appointment with the customer to help them find suitable accommodation. During the appointment, we make our computer available to the customer for internet research, and also offer advice and tips on the best way to present yourself to get an appointment for a home visit. We also help them to put together their file with the documents requested by the landlord, and help them to write a cover letter highlighting the qualities of their application. The frequency with which we organise housing meetings depends on the customer's level of autonomy."

Grégory Rase: "Our constant battle is to ensure that our customers are rehoused safely and appropriately, while preserving their rights and dignity. Each situation is unique, opening up the possibility of a new human adventure that often begins with other challenges in addition to housing. Our ambitions for the future are therefore simple: to continue fulfilling our essential missions for our users, and to work with Brussels' political decision-makers to find lasting solutions to poor housing in Brussels."

Jorgina Soares: "We rehouse over 300 Brussels residents a year. Our goal for the future remains unchanged: to continue our actions with the same enthusiasm that drives us, while putting people at the centre."

Also watch the video in which Jorgina Soares and Daniella Jaramillo present the different missions of the Social Unit of the Regional Housing Inspectorate: