The Abitare sociale diffuso project (“distributed” social living) started up in order to revitalize use of the public assets of Milan Municipality that were underused due to the reduced dimensions of the dwellings and, at the same time, to meet the need for short-term temporary accommodation of single people of or small family units who have found themselves in a moment of fragility.
The project, which is the result of collaboration between Fondazione Cariplo, Milan Municipality, FHS and Abitare Sociale Metropolitano, a social housing cooperative consortium, aims to create a temporary accommodation solution targeted at reducing the use of “inappropriate accommodation” (such as that in nursing homes or in residential communities of people who are in difficulty financially but not physically or socially), which are inadequate both in terms of cost and of meeting the needs of the user. At the same time, the aim is to identify appropriate forms of management and a way forward for the people concerned towards other more stable solutions.
The financial savings generated by a more appropriate management of temporary accommodation situations can be redirected towards the definition of support services or towards the renovation of new and additional dwellings, thus generating a form of welfare of a sustainable nature.
The project currently involves 35 dwellings distributed over various different buildings belonging to Milan Municipality, concentrated into 3 main localized hubs: Isola-Garibaldi-centre, Niguarda, Quarto Oggiaro.
The dwellings are provided by Milan Municipality on free loan to Abitare Sociale Metropolitano, which undertakes to refurbish the dwellings, carrying out any necessary work on the building fabric and utilities and furnishing the accommodation units in an appropriate and functional way, and also to manage them in accordance with the agreed scope.

The reference target of the project, related to the dimension of the dwellings and to the nature of the requirement, is identified as being: mothers with children, young people who have just turned 18, self-sufficient elderly people, and fathers who are separated – with or without dependent minors. It also includes adults in social distress or with family emergencies who have no immediate possibility of finding accommodation and who are able to independently manage their own living conditions, supported if necessary by social services.

PROJECT FINANCED AND PROMOTED BY
Fondazione Cariplo
– Initial outright grant to support in part of the project and monitoring costs

MANAGEMENT
Abitare Sociale Metropolitano
– refurbishment of dwellings
– support for the costs of realization that were not covered by the initial contribution/grant
– management of residential facilities

TECHNICAL-SOCIAL ADVISOR
Fondazione Housing Sociale
– carry out pro bono activities of preliminary study (site inspection, cost estimates etc.)
– support the managing entity with the executive project and with the implementation of the management model

PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
Comune di Milano
– concession of free use of the dwellings for 15 years; possibility for renewal by the managing entity
– obtaining divestment of Public Housing from Regione Lombardia
– monitoring and evaluation (management model, cost savings)