About housing policies and candlelight

”On winter evenings, walking through the streets of the city, I would gaze into other people’s houses through the pale orange light of home and dream of happy, peaceful families living comfortable lives.” Orhan Pamuk describes the yearning for 'home' - and makes it obvious how distant the reality can be from our dreams.

In public debate concerning housing people like to name a great number of usual suspects: insufficient availability of land, in particular for single-family houses, poor land use planning, high cost of real estate, expensive apartments in Helsinki, people having to invest too much of their income into housing, too much time spent on mobility, poor services, greedy developers, stupid architects, dismal quality of construction, lack of maintenance...

Could it be that the expectations on "housing" are too far removed from the product "house" that the "machinery" will ever be able to deliver? The whole production chain starting with investors and political decision makers and ending up with developers and construction companies can only come up with square meters and numbers of apartments. However, we keep dreaming of the security and privacy of a home, which is our castle. We miss warmth and love, caring and caressing, but get four cold walls instead. Meanwhile, housing fairs, furniture stores and illustrated magazines keep convincing us that the home is just a question of a bit more interior decoration.

Even the most perfect welfare state cannot replace the smell of freshly baked bread or the touch of a warm hand. No luxury home can repare the wounds of shattered human relationships. There are too many questions, where 'housing' is not the answer.

Here in the darkness of the Northern winter, Christmas is the festival of light, and people like to light candles. Somehow, candles represent the "pale orange light of home" and make us feel happy here and now, grateful for being alive and having friends, close and far away.

Warmest Season's Greetings, and a Happy New Year!

Quote from: Pamuk Orhan (2005) Istanbul, Memories of a City. London: Faber and Faber

Joulun kynttilöitä ja asuntopolitiikkaa

"Kävellessäni talvi-iltoina pitkin kaupungin katuja minulla oli tapana katsoa sisälle ihmisten taloihin, kodin kalpean oranssin valon lävitse, ja haaveilla onnellisista sopuisista perheistä, jotka elivät mukavaa elämää. (1) Poikavuosiaan muisteleva Nobel-kirjailija paljastaa kotiin liittyvät syvimmät tunteet: se on lämmin paikka, jossa asuu onnellinen perhe. Pukiessaan unelman sanoiksi hän ilmaisee, että todellisuus on täysin erilainen.

Asumiseen liittyvien ongelmien listaa toistetaan julkisessa keskustelussa loputtomasti: tonttipula, puute erityisesti omakotitalorakentamiseen soveltuvista tonteista, kaavoitetun maan ylihinta, asuntojen korkea neliöhinta ennen muuta Helsingissä, omistusasunnot varallisuuden ainoana ankkurina, asumisen ahtaus, liikkumisen hankaluus, palveluiden puute, liian yksityiskohtainen kaavoitus, kireät rakentamismääräykset, ahneet grynderit, tyhmät suunnittelijat, vastuuttomat rakentajat, kadonneet talkkarit ...

Vai onko niin, että asumiseen kohdistuu liikaa odotuksia, joilla ei ole mitään tekemistä taloja rakentavan päätöksenteko- ja toteutusketjun lopputuotteen kanssa? Asuntotuotantokone pusertaa putkesta asuntoneliöitä ja huoneistolukuja, kun ihmiset unelmoivat kodista. Asuntomessujen, kalustemarkkinoiden ja aikakauslehtien sisustusunelmat uskottelevat, että koti syntyy viimeistään sisustamalla.

Koti merkitsee lähes kaikkea, mitä ihminen elämältään haluaa. Se on yksityisyyden turvallinen linnake, jossa jokainen on oman reviirinsä herra. Mutta sen pitäisi myös hohtaa lämpöä ja rakkautta, hellyyttä ja huolenpitoa, kun kodin seinien ulkopuolella on vain kylmää välinpitämättömyyttä. Paraskaan hyvinvointivaltio ei korvaa pullan tuoksua eikä ojennettua kättä. Mikään omakotitalo ei korjaa rikkoutuneita ihmissuhteita.

Joulun kynttilöissä taitaa olla heijastus sitä "kodin kalpeaa oranssia valoa." Onni on, että saa elää tässä ja nyt.

Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta!

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1 Pamuk, Orhan (2005) Istanbul. Memories of a city. London: Faber and Faber (Sitaatin suomennos kirjoittajan.)

Energy greetings to Porto

(PES, Euroopan Sosialistipuolue kokoontuu Portossa Portugalissa joulukuun alussa. Energiakysymykset ovat siellä taatusti esillä, siinä taustaa PES@ctivists-blogin 4.12.2006 tekstille, jossa kirjoitan energiasta, julkisesta hankintapolitiikasta ja innovaatioista.)

Unfortunately I won't be able to join you in Porto, but I'd like to mention three topics which you'll most likely discuss there, among others: energy, public procurement and innovations.

Hardly any one doubts that providing equal and safe access to energy is the most basic service, next to freshwater and sanitation. However, the hugely growing worldwide demand on energy, liberalization (read: privatization) of the market, and the proven linkages between fossil fuels and global warming make energy a politically explosive package.

Even if one would not feel sorry for the ice bears and would not be aware of the future of SIDS (Small Island Developing States), the growing price of fossil fuels has become unbearable: pollution of the environment of the poorest, and the dollars and loss of democracy spent on wars and corruption.

The answer to the energy crisis is not simply 'more energy!' First, we'll have to save energy, consume less, change our habits, think different. Second, we'll have to develop and use more energy efficient technologies - which does not necessarily mean super-hi-tech. As an example, in many climates the most traditional building is the most energy efficient building. Public transport is far more efficient than mobility based on private cars and all the infrastructure they need. Third, we'll have to shift towards renewable energy sources, and this will require a hefty dose of political will, too.

Why public procurement in this connection? The public sector - cities, governments, public institutions like universities etc. - can and must set the standard. How can we ask our citizen to think and act differently, if the tax money is not spent the way we speak?

The public sector can be an informed client, asking the private and the third sector to deliver energy efficient and ethically sustainable products and services, it won't buy any other stuff.

My favourite example dates back to 1970s, when the City of Curitiba in Brazil decided that they want to have a public transport system that did not exist anywhere, yet, a Bus Rapid Transport system. Finally Volvo agreed to develop a BRT bus for Curitiba - and now they have a big factory in Brazil. Isn't this what we call both technological and social innovation?

Have a great time in Porto!