W H AT ' S U P ?
Easier to get involved Resident activities create a sense of community. The law on joint management regulating them is being renewed to meet current needs.
Text Anne Hänninen
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If you live in a house built with state support, you have a say in matters concerning your own housing. Residents have the right to know how their rent is determined, what repairs are being planned, and they can give feedback on the residents' needs. Joint management has a more informal side, too. It can be outings for residents or keeping the yard in good shape. The residents know best what needs to be fixed or changed in their house and area, so in the long term, they also help maintain the property's value.
Outdated law renewed The idea behind the act on joint management is that the residents and property owner can put it into action how they deem best. "The minimum is one meeting a year. In practice, there are many ways to implement the law. A lot depends on the size of the company," says Senior Officer Sina Rasilainen from The Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland. One reason to change the law is the changes that have taken place in lessors. "The law came into force in 1990, and then rental building companies owned one or a few properties – now they can own thousands of apartments," says Jouni Parkkonen, CEO of KOVA, Finnish Affordable Housing Companies’ Federation. One of the goals set for the new law is to enable electronic participation, such as hybrid meetings or e-voting. 22
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"Electronic means would reach residents that do not attend meetings. There is a need for ways to activate young people in particular," says Rasilainen. The renewed law is planned to come into effect in 2023. In practice, the changes are probably not going to be big. E-participation will be possible, and roles between different parties will be clearer, but for the majority, life will continue as before. For example, VAV provides an allowance for each property's resident activities. It can be used to buy food and drink for parties, garden furniture, or club room equipment.
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