Part of the funding was used to help the first families find a home to rent, but in the Selargius Roma camp—in the locality of Pitz'e Pranu—there are still sixteen families with several children in tow.
And for months, there has been difficulty finding rental properties, which clashes with the Municipality's demand to clear the agricultural area and close the rest camp. Hence the decision to invest part of the regional funds—provided for housing inclusion for Roma residents—in extraordinary grants (€8,500 per family) for the purchase of apartments. "This support will hopefully help them find permanent and dignified accommodation," commented Councilor for Social Policies Sandro Porqueddu.
The decision
The resolution was recently approved by the City Council. The document outlines the entire process following the regional funding in 2018: €293,000 earmarked for rent payments to families who requested it. "Thanks to these funds, over the years, twelve families have been able to live in residential homes with regular rental contracts, but many others have been unable to find a rental home," the resolution explains. This difficulty, it continues, "effectively prevented the closure of the camp, as numerous families with minors are still present."
The contributions
For some time, some Roma families have been considering purchasing small plots of land, with an attached house, to find permanent accommodation. "For this reason, we are pursuing other avenues, considering a new intervention method to facilitate the housing inclusion of citizens," explains the councilor. The priority is "to promote adequate living conditions, both for those currently living in Pitz'e Pranu and for those living outside the camp but experiencing economic and housing insecurity." This new effort—this time, hopefully, for permanent accommodation—will result in the provision of a special grant of €8,500 for each family unit. The financial aid will be paid "in a lump sum to allow the recipient to cover the costs of the move." This approach "we believe will facilitate support for families who intend to find permanent accommodation independently," concludes the councilor.
In the background are also the ministerial funds secured by Selargius under the Plus 21 program: 1.5 million for the educational and scholastic inclusion of Roma children living in the city and municipalities within the district.