Director General Hannu Rossilahti of the Housing Finance and Development Centre, ARA, and Senior Specialist for Investment Projects for Special Groups Sonja Manssila visited our buildings in Jätkäsaari and Haaga.
Our Jätkäsaari building won the Best ARA Square Meters award in 2017. Our Haaga building, on the other hand, is Setlementtiasunnot’s oldest property, where solutions supporting community spirit have been highly successful. The building has an active resident committee, and the resident common room is in active use. The shared balconies of the gallery access apartments also support community spirit.
– During the meeting, we received confirmation for our own strategy. It was important for us to discuss with Hannu Rossilahti and Sonja Manssila and to receive confirmation that combating inequality and segregation through housing are also key objectives for ARA, states Pentti Lemmetyinen, Chairman of the Board of Setlementtiasunnot.
Community and Diverse Residential Communities Became Key Topics
The meeting extensively discussed the need for and significance of social housing in the future. Affordable housing production plays a central role in preventing homelessness and segregation. Affordable housing also enables the availability of workforce in low-wage sectors in growth centers.
– It was great to practically demonstrate how communities are formed in our buildings. The sense of community that forms around a home is crucial in preventing loneliness. Social housing will also play an important role in preventing segregation in the future. Together, we can build stronger and more cohesive communities, states Suvi Tuomala, CEO of Setlementtiasunnot.
According to Property Director Eemeli Lönnqvist, ARA representatives also provided many valuable observations.
– We received comments on how we have successfully integrated housing for special groups into our properties. Diverse residential communities and functionally well-placed spaces were considered excellent – the size of the spaces alone does not always determine everything. These are key themes for us, even in new projects, already at the planning stage.
The greenery and accessibility of the outdoor areas of the Jätkäsaari and Haaga properties also received praise.
