**3. Housing situation in Slovenia**

#### **3.1. Housing policies**

The quality of life, among other things, is determined by housing conditions in which an individual lives. The development of the right to housing started with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, confirmed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1984. In Article 25, it is stated that everyone has the right to a standard of living that provides him or his/her family health, well-being, including food, clothing, medical care, etc. as well as housing. Maternity and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. In 1966, the United Nations General Assembly accepted the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which entered into force in 1976. In addition to the 127 countries, it was also ratified by Slovenia, and its implementation is supervised by the Committee of the United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Article 5 of the Convention quotes that the signatory states recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for themselves and their families, taking into account appropriate food, clothing, and housing, as well as the continuous improvement of living conditions. Later, this right was upgraded by the United Nations Resolution on Human Rights to an Appropriate Housing accepted in 1993. According to this resolution, the right to housing is transferred to everyone, which includes all people, regardless of wealth, race, health status, etc. In 1996, two international legal regulations were accepted to determine the obligations of countries in ensuring the right to housing. These are the Istanbul Declaration of the United Nations Organization on Human Settlements and its Agenda Habitat Action Plan [15]. They advocate the provision of a suitable housing for all as one of human rights and fundamental freedoms. These acts are not legally bound, but they express the objectives to which the signatory countries have committed themselves [16].

#### *3.1.1. National housing policy*

Household policy plays an important role in solving the housing issue of people in each country. Slovenia is also trying to follow the goals set out in international documents as closely as possible. In Slovenia, the basis of housing policy is determined by the Housing Act and the National Housing Program [15]. With the National Housing Program, the state creates the conditions for the implementation of the constitutionally written option of choosing to solve the housing issue for all inhabitants and sets out the general goals in the area of housing care. It focuses specifically on ensuring the quality of living of more vulnerable groups of the population, such as younger and older. Four key objectives of the country's housing policy are (a) balanced offer of suitable housing, (b) easier access to housing, (c) quality and functional housing, and (d) increased housing mobility of the population [17].

#### **a.** Balanced offer of suitable housing

**Hypothesis 3.1**: *The younger population takes a quicker decision to move/abandon (sell) the current real estate (place of residence) due to relocation into a financially/cost-effective variant/form of residence* 

**Hypothesis 3.2**: *Both the younger and the older populations do not want to share a common residence* 

The quality of life, among other things, is determined by housing conditions in which an individual lives. The development of the right to housing started with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, confirmed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1984. In Article 25, it is stated that everyone has the right to a standard of living that provides him or his/her family health, well-being, including food, clothing, medical care, etc. as well as housing. Maternity and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. In 1966, the United Nations General Assembly accepted the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which entered into force in 1976. In addition to the 127 countries, it was also ratified by Slovenia, and its implementation is supervised by the Committee of the United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Article 5 of the Convention quotes that the signatory states recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for themselves and their families, taking into account appropriate food, clothing, and housing, as well as the continuous improvement of living conditions. Later, this right was upgraded by the United Nations Resolution on Human Rights to an Appropriate Housing accepted in 1993. According to this resolution, the right to housing is transferred to everyone, which includes all people, regardless of wealth, race, health status, etc. In 1996, two international legal regulations were accepted to determine the obligations of countries in ensuring the right to housing. These are the Istanbul Declaration of the United Nations Organization on Human Settlements and its Agenda Habitat Action Plan [15]. They advocate the provision of a suitable housing for all as one of human rights and fundamental freedoms. These acts are not legally bound, but they express the objectives to which the signatory countries have committed themselves [16].

Household policy plays an important role in solving the housing issue of people in each country. Slovenia is also trying to follow the goals set out in international documents as closely as possible. In Slovenia, the basis of housing policy is determined by the Housing Act and the National Housing Program [15]. With the National Housing Program, the state creates the conditions for the implementation of the constitutionally written option of choosing to solve the housing issue for all inhabitants and sets out the general goals in the area of housing care. It focuses specifically on ensuring the quality of living of more vulnerable groups of the population, such as younger and older. Four key objectives of the country's housing policy are (a) balanced offer of suitable housing, (b) easier access to housing, (c) quality and functional

housing, and (d) increased housing mobility of the population [17].

*than the older population.*

118 Housing

**3.1. Housing policies**

*3.1.1. National housing policy*

*(intergenerational coexistence) in the same real estate.*

**3. Housing situation in Slovenia**

While statistics show that the number of dwellings in the housing stock exceeds the number of households, this does not mean that the availability of suitable dwellings is appropriate. The imbalance is due to the discrepancy between the needs of the population about housing in certain locations, their actual availability, and quality. The provision of housing in major cities is insufficient, because there is the greatest demand for employment, schooling, access to public functions, services, and better transport connections. The consequence of the higher demand is higher real estate prices in such areas. Quite the opposite is with supply and demand in peripheral and economically less developed areas. The uninhabited housing stock is also responsible for the smaller number of apartments that are actually available. In 2011, 20% of the housing stock was probably uninhabited. Uninhabited housing stock is affected by the unfavorable location, the physical condition of the dwelling, and the lack of interest of the owner in using the apartment. In order to ensure a balanced supply of suitable housing, the policy is to activate existing uninhabited housing stock. In order to increase the housing stock, an adequate number of communicable utility lands are planned to be provided in the long term. Also, degraded areas are planned to be activated, enabling cities to have a wider urban and social renewal.

**b.** Easier access to housing

Housing accessibility is of a great importance for inhabitants in order to provide functionally suitable housing according to their needs. The criterion of housing accessibility is a relationship between the housing costs, that is, the prices and the income of an individual or a household. Particular emphasis is on the affordability of housing for different population groups. One of the biggest problems in Slovenia is the poor housing accessibility to younger and older individuals. The lack of rental housing is affected by poor access to housing, which represents only an 8% share of all dwellings. Most of the rented apartments are owner occupied. Data from 2015 showed that around 6600 households were waiting for a non-profit rental apartment. The situation on the rental housing market in the country is poor; almost a quarter are supposed to be rented illegally. Special attention is paid to young individuals and those who are just creating a family, and their creditworthiness is poor. It is necessary to increase the rented apartment stock, to establish the necessary mechanisms for providing housing for them, in terms of both long-term lease and the purchase or for buying the first apartment. On the other hand, the elderly find it difficult to cover the costs and need more adapted apartments to live in. In this area, housing policy foresees necessity in the provision of a greater number of sheltered housing and to improve the possibilities for different forms of coexistence. In addition to these two groups, housing policy also pays attention to those needed to (other) socially most vulnerable people, that is, those who remain without a roof over their heads due to evictions, natural disasters, violence, or financial threats. According to data from 2015, about 800 temporary accommodation units were expected to be lacking. For this, housing policy foresees necessity in ensuring the construction of an adequate living standard apartment, which should be at the lowest possible cost. For these three groups, it would be necessary to provide housing of different types.

**c.** Quality and functional housing

The quality of residence consequently affects the quality of living of the population. It is necessary to pay attention to the energy and functional efficiency of housing. The apartment is of high quality if it is suitably constructed, is of a suitable size, meets the needs of users, and has as little maintenance costs as possible. In the country, in 2015, about 70% of dwellings were over 30 years old, which means that renovations are needed. For this reason, housing policy foresees ensuring a greater coordination of incentives and benefits for the renovation of housing.

**b.** Non-profit housing

**c.** Social housing

**d.** Official residence

The rent is determined by the employer.

**3.2. Housing situation of the younger**

Subsidized rental apartments (in Slovenia called as non-profit apartments) are intended for those whose income does not make possible to rent an apartment at market prices or buy a home. Owners of non-profit rental apartments are in the vast majority the municipalities, Housing Fund of the Republic of Slovenia, different public housing funds, and other nonprofit housing organizations. A non-profit apartment can be rented only through a tender. For non-profit dwellings, the highest possible rent is prescribed by the methodology. The rent covers amortization, capital costs, management and insurance costs, and current and investment maintenance. The owner can freely decide to set a rent that is lower than the maximum permitted by law. The size of the dwelling is also determined according to the number of household members. A number of criteria must be met to obtain a non-profit housing.

Housing for Younger and Older Populations http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78039 121

Owners of social housing are in the great majority the municipalities. Conditions for prescribing social apartments are also prescribed. A social apartment can rent a citizen of Slovenia, who meets the eligibility criteria. The Housing Law in Article 83 does not define social housing; instead of this, it defines a purpose-built rent housing intended for the institutional care of older people, pensioners, or special groups of adult population.

These dwellings are owned by employers; they rent them to their employees to solve their housing needs. They are leased out for a certain period of time or until the expiration of the term of the employment contract or the termination of the employment relationship.

Today's generation of young people are in a quite different position than, for example, the generations of their parents. Many believe that for young people, today's circumstances are difficult. The post-modern pluralism of a Western society can be an opportunity or an obstacle to them. Young people are faced with unemployment and precarious work, which is followed by many problems that are manifested in financial deprivation, weak housing supply, lower rate of independence, psychological pressure, etc. In addition to unemployment, among young people, the housing issue is a central problem at the way to get independent. According to Eurostat, 60.4% of young people between the ages of 18 and 35 lived with their parents in 2016, which ranks Slovenia near to the European top [19]. Independent living is one of the key factors for the independence, reaching the autonomy of young individuals. The problem in Slovenia and in other European countries is that there are less young people while the elderly population is growing. Young people in Slovenia represent a good fifth of the population, and it is expected that the share of young people will continue to decline [20]. The most common way of family life in Slovenia is the so-called dispersed extended family. These are formally separate family households, usually parents and children (maybe also siblings or other relatives) who live in the same dwelling, in separate housing units, or in the immediate vicinity. They offer mutual support and help, material, working, service, and emotional. In Slovenia, more and more young people live longer with their parents. This is the

**d.** Increased housing mobility of the population

According to different life periods of an individual, the need for different types of dwellings is also changing. In youth, a person needs a smaller dwelling; later, when creating a family, a person needs a bigger place, and when a person is old, he/she also needs a different type of dwelling. By enabling a greater housing mobility, a more streamlined distribution of households in the existing housing stock is ensured, thus enabling individuals to use an apartment that is more appropriate for their needs. Particular attention should be paid to raising awareness of the population by encouraging new forms of social assistance. The fact is that the greatest potential for migration is represented by young people and the elderly.

In the area of youth independence, the National Housing Program encourages renting. The measures of the National Housing Program focus on increasing the accessibility of the rental housing stock. The arrangement of rental relationships is planned, as well as the establishment of a new tenancy policy for increasing the offer of rental apartments from the existing housing stock. New construction measures are directed toward the provision of public rental housing in larger centers, where the need for housing is greater. Under the new housing program, in the context of economic independence and family creation, young people can choose among the range of measures to continue housing rental and the possibility of arranging their own housing (guarantee for purchase or renovation, functional adaptation of one-dwelling residential buildings for the coexistence of different generations) [17]. In case of the elderly, the National Housing Program focuses on housing forms that provide quality health and other care while at the same time ensuring integration into society and mutual assistance (proximity to social activities, mixed neighborhoods). When designing a housing stock for the care and accommodation of older persons, the program envisages that architectural and functional requirements and principles of energy efficiency are taken into account (reducing the cost of operating housing units). According to the program, suitable forms of housing are adequate for the elderly, which provide an adequate level of care, for example, sheltered housing. The provision of such housing is sensible to be carried out through a public-private partnership, which enables the provision of dedicated rental apartments at affordable prices. Considering that the National Housing Program promotes renting for both the elderly and the young, the types of lease in the country are presented for better understanding. Four types of rented apartments have been distinguished in Slovenia: a) profitable housing, b) non-profit housing, c) social housing, d) official residence [18].

**a.** Profitable housing

These are dwellings where owners rent for the purpose of gaining profit. The rent levels in these dwellings are the highest in practice. Rent is shaped freely by the market, without state control. The problem is that the rental market is very limited and the rentals are high.

#### **b.** Non-profit housing

**c.** Quality and functional housing

120 Housing

for the renovation of housing.

**d.** Increased housing mobility of the population

b) non-profit housing, c) social housing, d) official residence [18].

These are dwellings where owners rent for the purpose of gaining profit. The rent levels in these dwellings are the highest in practice. Rent is shaped freely by the market, without state control. The problem is that the rental market is very limited and the rentals are high.

**a.** Profitable housing

The quality of residence consequently affects the quality of living of the population. It is necessary to pay attention to the energy and functional efficiency of housing. The apartment is of high quality if it is suitably constructed, is of a suitable size, meets the needs of users, and has as little maintenance costs as possible. In the country, in 2015, about 70% of dwellings were over 30 years old, which means that renovations are needed. For this reason, housing policy foresees ensuring a greater coordination of incentives and benefits

According to different life periods of an individual, the need for different types of dwellings is also changing. In youth, a person needs a smaller dwelling; later, when creating a family, a person needs a bigger place, and when a person is old, he/she also needs a different type of dwelling. By enabling a greater housing mobility, a more streamlined distribution of households in the existing housing stock is ensured, thus enabling individuals to use an apartment that is more appropriate for their needs. Particular attention should be paid to raising awareness of the population by encouraging new forms of social assistance. The fact is that the greatest potential for migration is represented by young people and the elderly. In the area of youth independence, the National Housing Program encourages renting. The measures of the National Housing Program focus on increasing the accessibility of the rental housing stock. The arrangement of rental relationships is planned, as well as the establishment of a new tenancy policy for increasing the offer of rental apartments from the existing housing stock. New construction measures are directed toward the provision of public rental housing in larger centers, where the need for housing is greater. Under the new housing program, in the context of economic independence and family creation, young people can choose among the range of measures to continue housing rental and the possibility of arranging their own housing (guarantee for purchase or renovation, functional adaptation of one-dwelling residential buildings for the coexistence of different generations) [17]. In case of the elderly, the National Housing Program focuses on housing forms that provide quality health and other care while at the same time ensuring integration into society and mutual assistance (proximity to social activities, mixed neighborhoods). When designing a housing stock for the care and accommodation of older persons, the program envisages that architectural and functional requirements and principles of energy efficiency are taken into account (reducing the cost of operating housing units). According to the program, suitable forms of housing are adequate for the elderly, which provide an adequate level of care, for example, sheltered housing. The provision of such housing is sensible to be carried out through a public-private partnership, which enables the provision of dedicated rental apartments at affordable prices. Considering that the National Housing Program promotes renting for both the elderly and the young, the types of lease in the country are presented for better understanding. Four types of rented apartments have been distinguished in Slovenia: a) profitable housing, Subsidized rental apartments (in Slovenia called as non-profit apartments) are intended for those whose income does not make possible to rent an apartment at market prices or buy a home. Owners of non-profit rental apartments are in the vast majority the municipalities, Housing Fund of the Republic of Slovenia, different public housing funds, and other nonprofit housing organizations. A non-profit apartment can be rented only through a tender. For non-profit dwellings, the highest possible rent is prescribed by the methodology. The rent covers amortization, capital costs, management and insurance costs, and current and investment maintenance. The owner can freely decide to set a rent that is lower than the maximum permitted by law. The size of the dwelling is also determined according to the number of household members. A number of criteria must be met to obtain a non-profit housing.

#### **c.** Social housing

Owners of social housing are in the great majority the municipalities. Conditions for prescribing social apartments are also prescribed. A social apartment can rent a citizen of Slovenia, who meets the eligibility criteria. The Housing Law in Article 83 does not define social housing; instead of this, it defines a purpose-built rent housing intended for the institutional care of older people, pensioners, or special groups of adult population.

**d.** Official residence

These dwellings are owned by employers; they rent them to their employees to solve their housing needs. They are leased out for a certain period of time or until the expiration of the term of the employment contract or the termination of the employment relationship. The rent is determined by the employer.

#### **3.2. Housing situation of the younger**

Today's generation of young people are in a quite different position than, for example, the generations of their parents. Many believe that for young people, today's circumstances are difficult. The post-modern pluralism of a Western society can be an opportunity or an obstacle to them. Young people are faced with unemployment and precarious work, which is followed by many problems that are manifested in financial deprivation, weak housing supply, lower rate of independence, psychological pressure, etc. In addition to unemployment, among young people, the housing issue is a central problem at the way to get independent. According to Eurostat, 60.4% of young people between the ages of 18 and 35 lived with their parents in 2016, which ranks Slovenia near to the European top [19]. Independent living is one of the key factors for the independence, reaching the autonomy of young individuals. The problem in Slovenia and in other European countries is that there are less young people while the elderly population is growing. Young people in Slovenia represent a good fifth of the population, and it is expected that the share of young people will continue to decline [20].

The most common way of family life in Slovenia is the so-called dispersed extended family. These are formally separate family households, usually parents and children (maybe also siblings or other relatives) who live in the same dwelling, in separate housing units, or in the immediate vicinity. They offer mutual support and help, material, working, service, and emotional. In Slovenia, more and more young people live longer with their parents. This is the so-called LAT phase (Living Apart Together phase); this is a period of semi-family life, which has several manifestations [21]:

problems with a creation of an own family. Concerning financial problems, the problem is

Housing for Younger and Older Populations http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78039 123

• the problem of young people who are single is also that they do not have the possibility of renting public housing with non-profit rent due to housing policy, which prefers young

• it is also noticed that landlords often reject young families and couples, that is, young people in general, which makes it more difficult for them to find accommodation [24].

Similarly, it is much more difficult to build a dwelling house than in the time of their parents' youth. For young people, housing is difficult to access also in terms of both buying and renting. There are problems with the purchase of a loan when buying, mostly because of low incomes (or even without revenue) and working relationship in most cases with a fixed-term contract. The requirements of the mortgage lenders are the initial deposit, solid credit insurance, or a guarantee, which can also make it difficult for the loan itself for those young people who have sufficient income and with an indefinite duration contract of employment. For the financial standard of young people, the problems are also high real estate prices in Slovenia, especially those in larger urban centers with most of jobs [24]. In Slovenia, there is also a problem in the area of subsidies for young families, because the money is directed to that part of housing markets where ownership is most accessible. In order to enter into ownership, it is necessary to have a certain income standard; therefore, only few candidates apply for subsidies. Income limits are universally set for the whole country, regardless of the fact that the average net wages vary according to the country's territory. Therefore, subsidies involve those young families whose income already enables them the transition into ownership. Those who want to solve the housing problem in areas where the availability of housing is low cannot do due to higher incomes for subsidies. Namely at the given housing prices, the income that is required to enter into ownership is higher than the set census. The novelties in the set of measures are subsidies for young families in renting market apartments. The problem of this instrument is that it is intended only for young families directly after the study. It is a shortterm assistance that does not significantly contribute to improving their housing problem [25]. To conclude, possible solutions for the housing problem of young people are: (1) renting a subsidized (non-profit) apartment, (2) renting an apartment at a market price or (3) buying an apartment or a house. In addition, young people can become independent, (4) by extension of the parents' house or (5) by inheritance of real estate (e.g., inherited by relatives). Less independent forms of living are (extended) (6) staying with parents or relatives, (7) staying in

Most of people want to grow old but this is also accompanied by fear. This period of life brings many problems that older people and people around them must face. The fact is that the age is beautiful, if it also serves the body and mind. Some older people decide on their own where

price accessibility to housing. Rental problems are different:

families, which leads to the problem of independence [23],

• a lack of rental housing and profitable rentals are high,

a student dormitory and assistance in return for housing.

**3.3. Housing situation of the elderly**


LAT phase is an intermediate phase between family dependence and independent life. It is characterized by economic dependence or interdependence from parents with social independence. This period is often delayed in the 30s. The reasons for prolonging the life with parents can be in the absence of economic independence, unemployment, difficulty to find the place to live, extended study, and others. On the other hand, such a way of living, on the condition of mutual understanding, is easy and cheap, and there is material and emotional security with simultaneous high personal autonomy [21].

According to many researchers, the following factors are key to the late leaving of young people from their parental home: unemployment, income, housing prices, and rents. In Slovenia, the share of full-time employees is low. Temporary employment does not provide young people with all those opportunities such as full-time employment. In particular, young people get stuck with a loan application request from a bank. Therefore, regular employment has a significant impact on earlier leaving of parental home. Researches have shown that young people whose parents live in the house often stay at home even if they have a job. According to this, it can be assumed that employment encourages young people to leave home only if they are connected with a shortage of space in the house. The level of income of young people is also important, as it must be high enough to allow them to rent or repay loans. Among young people, rental apartments prevail or dwellings that are owned by their parents or partner's parents. However, those who are the owners of the apartment in which they live obtain it on the basis of inheritance (48.7%) or they rent a loan from a bank institution (32.9%). Cash purchases of a real estate are rare among young people, but if they are, this is at least to some extent the resources of parents or relatives. According to data from 2011, only 15% of young people who moved out of their parents' home bought the real estate (in which they live) with their funds or loans from the bank. The fact is that among those who moved away from parents, 41.7% of them live in a real estate owned by their parents. Adding those whose parents financed or partially financed the purchase of their real estate, 55.4% of young people moved out of their parents' home, and this move was in the economic sense directly enabled by their parents. Young people also have a high disparity between their desires and reality. A large proportion of young people (92.1%) between the ages of 15 and 18 want to leave home by the age of 29. The reality is that in the age of 29, only 31.6% of young people actually live in their own apartment [22].

The consequences of a housing situation may vary, and those young people who live with their parents are not independent and are more difficult to gain independence, while those who move out have more financial problems even also rental problems. But both have problems with a creation of an own family. Concerning financial problems, the problem is price accessibility to housing. Rental problems are different:

• a lack of rental housing and profitable rentals are high,

so-called LAT phase (Living Apart Together phase); this is a period of semi-family life, which

• young people live elsewhere and regularly visit parental families and use their services

LAT phase is an intermediate phase between family dependence and independent life. It is characterized by economic dependence or interdependence from parents with social independence. This period is often delayed in the 30s. The reasons for prolonging the life with parents can be in the absence of economic independence, unemployment, difficulty to find the place to live, extended study, and others. On the other hand, such a way of living, on the condition of mutual understanding, is easy and cheap, and there is material and emotional security with

According to many researchers, the following factors are key to the late leaving of young people from their parental home: unemployment, income, housing prices, and rents. In Slovenia, the share of full-time employees is low. Temporary employment does not provide young people with all those opportunities such as full-time employment. In particular, young people get stuck with a loan application request from a bank. Therefore, regular employment has a significant impact on earlier leaving of parental home. Researches have shown that young people whose parents live in the house often stay at home even if they have a job. According to this, it can be assumed that employment encourages young people to leave home only if they are connected with a shortage of space in the house. The level of income of young people is also important, as it must be high enough to allow them to rent or repay loans. Among young people, rental apartments prevail or dwellings that are owned by their parents or partner's parents. However, those who are the owners of the apartment in which they live obtain it on the basis of inheritance (48.7%) or they rent a loan from a bank institution (32.9%). Cash purchases of a real estate are rare among young people, but if they are, this is at least to some extent the resources of parents or relatives. According to data from 2011, only 15% of young people who moved out of their parents' home bought the real estate (in which they live) with their funds or loans from the bank. The fact is that among those who moved away from parents, 41.7% of them live in a real estate owned by their parents. Adding those whose parents financed or partially financed the purchase of their real estate, 55.4% of young people moved out of their parents' home, and this move was in the economic sense directly enabled by their parents. Young people also have a high disparity between their desires and reality. A large proportion of young people (92.1%) between the ages of 15 and 18 want to leave home by the age of 29. The reality is that in the age

of 29, only 31.6% of young people actually live in their own apartment [22].

The consequences of a housing situation may vary, and those young people who live with their parents are not independent and are more difficult to gain independence, while those who move out have more financial problems even also rental problems. But both have

• young people live at home during extended education, up to the age of 26,

• young people also live at home after schooling and after work,

• young people live at home with occasional life elsewhere,

simultaneous high personal autonomy [21].

has several manifestations [21]:

and support.

122 Housing


Similarly, it is much more difficult to build a dwelling house than in the time of their parents' youth. For young people, housing is difficult to access also in terms of both buying and renting. There are problems with the purchase of a loan when buying, mostly because of low incomes (or even without revenue) and working relationship in most cases with a fixed-term contract. The requirements of the mortgage lenders are the initial deposit, solid credit insurance, or a guarantee, which can also make it difficult for the loan itself for those young people who have sufficient income and with an indefinite duration contract of employment. For the financial standard of young people, the problems are also high real estate prices in Slovenia, especially those in larger urban centers with most of jobs [24]. In Slovenia, there is also a problem in the area of subsidies for young families, because the money is directed to that part of housing markets where ownership is most accessible. In order to enter into ownership, it is necessary to have a certain income standard; therefore, only few candidates apply for subsidies. Income limits are universally set for the whole country, regardless of the fact that the average net wages vary according to the country's territory. Therefore, subsidies involve those young families whose income already enables them the transition into ownership. Those who want to solve the housing problem in areas where the availability of housing is low cannot do due to higher incomes for subsidies. Namely at the given housing prices, the income that is required to enter into ownership is higher than the set census. The novelties in the set of measures are subsidies for young families in renting market apartments. The problem of this instrument is that it is intended only for young families directly after the study. It is a shortterm assistance that does not significantly contribute to improving their housing problem [25].

To conclude, possible solutions for the housing problem of young people are: (1) renting a subsidized (non-profit) apartment, (2) renting an apartment at a market price or (3) buying an apartment or a house. In addition, young people can become independent, (4) by extension of the parents' house or (5) by inheritance of real estate (e.g., inherited by relatives). Less independent forms of living are (extended) (6) staying with parents or relatives, (7) staying in a student dormitory and assistance in return for housing.

#### **3.3. Housing situation of the elderly**

Most of people want to grow old but this is also accompanied by fear. This period of life brings many problems that older people and people around them must face. The fact is that the age is beautiful, if it also serves the body and mind. Some older people decide on their own where and how they will live, while others are victims of their life situation. Institutional forms of living can be perceived by the elderly as something negative (a traumatic experience), or as the best solution according to their current life situation. How an individual accepts this depends on himself, his/her relatives and friends, and on the staff of the institution.

bills begin to accumulate, and the older individual find out that he/she cannot do it anymore. But it would be maybe too late to find other possibilities of living. The most appropriate time for moving is the time when children leave their home or after the death of the partner. It is important that the elderly ask themselves whether they really need such a large property, how much it will cost and whether they will be able to cover them, and whether the current apartment is at all appropriate to their needs, and above all whether they are too large [32]. In general, dwellings are relatively large in Slovenia. According to the 2011 census data, the

elderly people live in rather large dwellings. As noted by Ref. [36], the size of the dwelling of old people decreases with age—the study showed that 34% of respondents aged 50–55 lived

considerable. But there were as many as 38% of the owners with dwellings (houses) that were

• older people have an adequate or even more than a suitable property or rent apartment, but their incomes are so low that they cannot afford to pay high costs (especially exposed

• older people have an adequate housing for their own needs, but they must share it with children (including their families) as another vulnerable group who cannot acquire their

• older people have an affordable and functionally suitable apartment, but it is inappropriate due to the certain characteristics (e.g., building without a lift, distance from services, etc.), • older people as tenants of private profitable apartments are living in uncertainty about the

As a solution to these problems, it is suggested in Ref. [32] that those who have excessive rental property, which means that it is too expensive, change it for smaller one. Those who have a costly expensive apartment and who are without relatives who would financially help them

unfavorable if a person lives alone. In Slovenia, as this problem is becoming more and more worrying in recent years, the share of older people who live alone or together with another older person is increasing in society. Among the persons who were at least 65 years old at the 2002 census, as many as 25.3% of those were living alone (i.e., single-person household) [37]; at the end of 2012, already almost 30% of people, older than 64 years old, lived alone [38]. As long as old people stay healthy, they can live an independent and active life; but when they become weak and dependent on the help of others, there is a greater risk of becoming socially isolated, because they are more likely to remain in their apartments and they become depending on the

In sale and leaseback of property, the owner sells his/her real estate and concludes a lease with the buyer for the same real estate. Selling real estate and its simultaneous return lease is a recommended option for older people who are dif-

rental relationship and do not have the opportunity to obtain rent subsidies,

• older people may be for various reasons without real estate.

should consider of sale and leaseback of their property.2

ficult to maintain their real estate, but they do not want to move out of it.

Problems that older people have in the housing sector are [23] as follows:

; among the elderly over 80 years of age, this share was 13%, which is still

[35]. From this, it could be concluded that

Housing for Younger and Older Populations http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78039 125

The fact is that it is financially most

average size of the occupied dwelling was 82 m2

at more than 90 m2

larger than 90 m2

own property,

2

.

are widows with low pensions),

The share of the elderly population is increasing, especially the population over 80 years. The trend is present everywhere in the developed world, especially in Europe. The situation in society poses a challenge for the modernization of current social protection systems, especially for long-term care, because the older population is the most numerous. For the elderly, there has to be provided certain assistance in daily tasks due to illness, disability, or age-related illnesses, thus ensuring a better quality of life [26]. According to forecasts, every fifth inhabitant in Slovenia will be older than 65 in 2020, which is 19.4% of the population [27]. By 2060, the share of the elderly will rise to 31.6%, which means that at that time, each third person will be older than 65 years [28]. According to age, older people in Europe are divided into young-old (65–74 years), middle-aged old (75–84), old-old (85–94), and very old-old (over 95 years) [29]. In the United States of America, the division is something different: go-goes (old people who can walk), slowgoes (old people who find it hard to walk), and no-goes (old people who cannot walk) [30].

The elderly are often discriminated in the area of social affairs, health, employment, education, culture, information, politics, security, research, etc. In the area of protection, rights are limited, which affects older patients, disabled and poor, who cannot pay for private services. Access to health services is getting worse, especially nursing, rehabilitation, and home care services. There is a lack of nursing departments where patients will be trained to the extent that they can return to their home environment. Elderly people live in apartments and the buildings that are not suitable for them (without lifts, architectural obstacles, etc.). By improvement of living conditions, the elderly are hampered by low incomes, which in turn mean that they cannot obtain loans from banking institutions. Even in constructing buildings, sufficient rules are not taken into account that would make it easier for the elderly to move. The problem is also in the sheltered housing locations, because they are mostly built outside towns, which is an additional possibility for the exclusion for the elderly [31].

For Slovenes, the relationship to the real estate is different than elsewhere in the world. The property means something holy for the elderly, and even if older individual is starving, it does not allow mortgages or seals on the property. As much as 80% of the property is owned, which places Slovenia to the top in the world. But over the years, owner-occupied real estate can also become a burden. There are more and more old-aged property owners who cannot afford their own dwelling. The houses are too large, and they have many architectural obstacles and become too expensive to maintain [32]. Many Slovene elderly people just barely cover current expenses and annual taxes, and for other obligations related to the maintenance of real estate, they often do not have enough savings [33]. In a survey [34] in the area of pension receipts of pensioners1 and their real estate, it was found that few respondents were ready to sell real estate in exchange for a better life; only 18.7% of respondents would do that. Another study show that only 6% of older people move to a retirement home because of inadequate living conditions in their own homes, and 60–70% due to the health reasons, that is, when it is absolutely essential. Only when health problems occur or when unpaid

<sup>1</sup> In 2017, the average net pension amounted to EUR 620.

bills begin to accumulate, and the older individual find out that he/she cannot do it anymore. But it would be maybe too late to find other possibilities of living. The most appropriate time for moving is the time when children leave their home or after the death of the partner. It is important that the elderly ask themselves whether they really need such a large property, how much it will cost and whether they will be able to cover them, and whether the current apartment is at all appropriate to their needs, and above all whether they are too large [32]. In general, dwellings are relatively large in Slovenia. According to the 2011 census data, the average size of the occupied dwelling was 82 m2 [35]. From this, it could be concluded that elderly people live in rather large dwellings. As noted by Ref. [36], the size of the dwelling of old people decreases with age—the study showed that 34% of respondents aged 50–55 lived at more than 90 m2 ; among the elderly over 80 years of age, this share was 13%, which is still considerable. But there were as many as 38% of the owners with dwellings (houses) that were larger than 90 m2 .

Problems that older people have in the housing sector are [23] as follows:

and how they will live, while others are victims of their life situation. Institutional forms of living can be perceived by the elderly as something negative (a traumatic experience), or as the best solution according to their current life situation. How an individual accepts this

The share of the elderly population is increasing, especially the population over 80 years. The trend is present everywhere in the developed world, especially in Europe. The situation in society poses a challenge for the modernization of current social protection systems, especially for long-term care, because the older population is the most numerous. For the elderly, there has to be provided certain assistance in daily tasks due to illness, disability, or age-related illnesses, thus ensuring a better quality of life [26]. According to forecasts, every fifth inhabitant in Slovenia will be older than 65 in 2020, which is 19.4% of the population [27]. By 2060, the share of the elderly will rise to 31.6%, which means that at that time, each third person will be older than 65 years [28]. According to age, older people in Europe are divided into young-old (65–74 years), middle-aged old (75–84), old-old (85–94), and very old-old (over 95 years) [29]. In the United States of America, the division is something different: go-goes (old people who can walk), slowgoes (old people who find it hard to walk), and no-goes (old people who cannot walk) [30].

The elderly are often discriminated in the area of social affairs, health, employment, education, culture, information, politics, security, research, etc. In the area of protection, rights are limited, which affects older patients, disabled and poor, who cannot pay for private services. Access to health services is getting worse, especially nursing, rehabilitation, and home care services. There is a lack of nursing departments where patients will be trained to the extent that they can return to their home environment. Elderly people live in apartments and the buildings that are not suitable for them (without lifts, architectural obstacles, etc.). By improvement of living conditions, the elderly are hampered by low incomes, which in turn mean that they cannot obtain loans from banking institutions. Even in constructing buildings, sufficient rules are not taken into account that would make it easier for the elderly to move. The problem is also in the sheltered housing locations, because they are mostly built outside

For Slovenes, the relationship to the real estate is different than elsewhere in the world. The property means something holy for the elderly, and even if older individual is starving, it does not allow mortgages or seals on the property. As much as 80% of the property is owned, which places Slovenia to the top in the world. But over the years, owner-occupied real estate can also become a burden. There are more and more old-aged property owners who cannot afford their own dwelling. The houses are too large, and they have many architectural obstacles and become too expensive to maintain [32]. Many Slovene elderly people just barely cover current expenses and annual taxes, and for other obligations related to the maintenance of real estate, they often do not have enough savings [33]. In a survey [34] in the area of

ready to sell real estate in exchange for a better life; only 18.7% of respondents would do that. Another study show that only 6% of older people move to a retirement home because of inadequate living conditions in their own homes, and 60–70% due to the health reasons, that is, when it is absolutely essential. Only when health problems occur or when unpaid

and their real estate, it was found that few respondents were

towns, which is an additional possibility for the exclusion for the elderly [31].

pension receipts of pensioners1

In 2017, the average net pension amounted to EUR 620.

1

124 Housing

depends on himself, his/her relatives and friends, and on the staff of the institution.


As a solution to these problems, it is suggested in Ref. [32] that those who have excessive rental property, which means that it is too expensive, change it for smaller one. Those who have a costly expensive apartment and who are without relatives who would financially help them should consider of sale and leaseback of their property.2 The fact is that it is financially most unfavorable if a person lives alone. In Slovenia, as this problem is becoming more and more worrying in recent years, the share of older people who live alone or together with another older person is increasing in society. Among the persons who were at least 65 years old at the 2002 census, as many as 25.3% of those were living alone (i.e., single-person household) [37]; at the end of 2012, already almost 30% of people, older than 64 years old, lived alone [38]. As long as old people stay healthy, they can live an independent and active life; but when they become weak and dependent on the help of others, there is a greater risk of becoming socially isolated, because they are more likely to remain in their apartments and they become depending on the

<sup>2</sup> In sale and leaseback of property, the owner sells his/her real estate and concludes a lease with the buyer for the same real estate. Selling real estate and its simultaneous return lease is a recommended option for older people who are difficult to maintain their real estate, but they do not want to move out of it.

help of others [33]. In order to ensure the quality of life of the elderly, good community care is essential. Long-term care is an important part of the overall care of an elderly individual. Long-term care is a broad term that includes health, housing, and social care. In addition, it also covers various aspects of everyday life, such as household assistance, shopping, socializing, and by patients with dementia also control [39].

is borne by their relatives. In the case if the relatives cannot pay for the missing part, and in cases where the elderly do not have relatives, the municipality covers the missing part [34].

Housing for Younger and Older Populations http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78039 127

The purpose of the research was to determine the problems in the real estate area, faced by the younger and older citizens of Slovenia. The study was focused on the research of the younger and the older generation. A research questionnaire was used to distinguish characteristics between the groups. Some of the questions were the same for both groups, since only in this way could they compare certain views on the discussed issues with each other. Each questionnaire contained 26 closed-type questions. The survey was conducted from June 27, 2017, to August 5, 2017, in the whole country. The condition for participating in the survey was the age and place/way of stay. In the younger group, the age limit was between 18 and 35, while the second condition was the non-ownership of the property. In case of the elderly, the conditions were aged over 60 years old and residence in own/leased real estate, that is, not in the institutional form of accommodation. The survey sample included 223 people, of which 115 were younger, aged between 18 and 35, and 108 of individuals in the group over the age of 60. When collecting data for an older group, the snowball method was used. Thus, the young responders who answered the survey related to them, tried through the personal

In the first study group were young people aged 18–35. The sample consisted of 115 people, birth year from 1982 to 1999, and the average age was 25 years (year 1992). Most respondents (44%) were students, slightly fewer were employed (31%), and the least were the unemployed (24%). Given the percentages, the students are predominant, which is not surprising, but it could be believed that unemployed could be predominant; given the high level of unemployment, many young people are extending their studies and in such a way the unemployment rate is lower than it would actually be. The fact is that many young people are studying or trying to maintain the status of a student for as long as possible, because the status of a student

The results of the survey show that the majority (57%) of young people aged between 18 and 35 live with their parents, some live with their partner (20%), and 17% are tenants in a real estate. Only 3% of respondents answered that they live in a dormitory. It was also offered to respondents the option "other," where four answers have been received: (1) I live in an apartment which is owned by my parents, (2) I live in a mansard apartment at my parents, (3) I live in a weekend house, and (4) I currently reside at my parents, but am in the process of building my own house. To summarize the answers that were obtained under the "other"

acquaintances to find the elderly to ensure fulfillment of the survey.

offers more benefits than unemployment itself.

**4. Methods**

**5. Results**

**5.1. Younger**

In Slovenia, services are developed for the elderly, which are intended for individuals to live in their home, despite their minor or greater incapacity in carrying out everyday life tasks. The services are also intended for family caregivers to relieve them. Care providers are divided into formal and informal. Formal providers are paid for their services that are organized in communities (e.g., day care centers or in case of home assistance), which are intended to support older people living in the community, but they can also provide care in the institutional way of staying. Informal care workers are not paid. These are most family members, relatives, friends, and neighbors who provide care at the home of old person. Informal careers are supposed to provide as much as 90% of all care. For Slovenia, multi-generational households are characterized. Therefore, in more than half the cases, the children of the elderly are the main providers of care. The periods of care are very long; most of older people need over 5 years of intensive care. Intergenerational solidarity is important for the exchange of care within the family, which points to the importance of children who care for their parents when they become older. Researches on social care have shown that in critical situations, such as illness, and in need of help, older people first turn to their children. There are opinions that it is not appropriate to ask someone else for such extensive assistance. A survey showed that for the elderly (age group 70 years and over), their children are a key factor in assistance. Children support their parents in cases of illness in 40%, in case of financial assistance in 44%, in material support in 34%, and emotional in 29% [39]. In Slovenia, there is strong intergenerational solidarity. It can be defined as a social cohesion of several generations [40]. These generations can be thought of as groups in society (i.e., younger-old, middle-aged old, and old-old), or people who are related to one another (i.e., grandparents, children, and grandchildren). In Slovenia, care for parents is a strong value. The family is supposed to be the first to be responsible for caring for the elderly, as 78% of people think that it is a duty of adult children to take care of their elderly parents. As a consequence, children should also pay for the care of their parents, if their income is insufficient. As much as 60% of people agree with this, compared to only 48% in Europe. Likewise, most people believe that the state is responsible for ensuring a decent life for older people.

In the framework of institutional accommodation, the elderly in Slovenia have the possibility of staying in a retirement home and in sheltered apartments. They can adjust their own home and/or benefit from remote services, home assistance (social care within the public service), and day care centers.3 The municipal budget finances personal assistance and assistance to the family at home. The cost of living in retirement homes and the cost of living in day care are covered by the elderly themselves; in cases where they cannot do this, the missing part

<sup>3</sup> These are alternative, stationary forms of care for the elderly. In one place, they offer occasional, comprehensive care, and social activities. They provide care for a shorter period (rehabilitation) or regular, a couple of hours a day care [41].

is borne by their relatives. In the case if the relatives cannot pay for the missing part, and in cases where the elderly do not have relatives, the municipality covers the missing part [34].
