In emergencies, every help is worth its weight in gold. Especially when people are at risk of losing their homes. Since 2017, Wiener Wohnen has set up a team of social workers for such cases, known as case management. They act as guides and advisors for the City of Vienna’s diverse social services and support municipal building tenants who have problems paying their monthly rent. The team now consists of a total of 24 dedicated social workers for outreach social work with the affected tenants at home, social counseling and the function as an advice center for the residential umbrella in the Wiener Wohnen service center.
Thanks to the intensive and sensitive advisory service, the apartment was secured in 835 cases with the help of outreach eviction prevention by the end of November 2024.
Affordable and safe housing is particularly important for the quality of life in our city. This also includes looking out for each other and offering help when it is needed. Wiener Wohnen assumes this social responsibility in a special way. By having our own team of social workers provide support to community building residents. This is unique in this form and shows that no one is left behind in Vienna,” emphasizes Vice Mayor and Housing Councilor Kathrin Gaál.
High success rate – help can be achieved in 75 percent of cases
The case management social workers visit tenants who are acutely affected by the loss of their apartment and actively communicate the support offers of the City of Vienna, such as housing assistance or simplified installment payments for rent arrears. “Together with those affected, we check whether there are opportunities to receive support or aid that has not yet been claimed, or we explain court letters that are difficult to understand to those affected or accompany them through official channels,” says Bernhard Rubik, head of the case management department. In 75 percent of cases, the team was able to successfully help avert the threat of home loss.
Working with social workers increases the chances of securing housing
The social workers know from years of counseling experience that financial difficulties and rent arrears do not stop at any social group: “They can affect families with children, people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, as well as academics in unexpected life crises. It is important to us that tenants know that Wiener Wohnen can and wants to provide relief for rent arrears with information and home visits or consultations,” says Rubik, “because the earlier the problems are identified and advice is accepted, the better “The living space must be secured.”
The central prerequisite is that those affected participate in solving the problem and not wait when financial bottlenecks become apparent, but rather contact the property management immediately.
Of the 1,113 backlog and psychosocial cases that the team of case managers were able to complete by the end of November 2024, 835 apartments (around 75 percent) were secured.
In order to achieve this success rate, a total of 10,100 telephone calls were made, 8,300 emails, 1,600 SMS and 600 letters were sent and 3,700 personal consultations were carried out through home visits or consultations in the Wiener Wohnen service center by the end of November 2024.
Housing umbrella advice and cooperation for sustainable housing security
A functioning housing security system with sustainable solutions requires close and coordinated cooperation between all supporting institutions in the City of Vienna. Wiener Wohnen therefore cooperates intensively with the Vienna Housing Security Office of MA 40 and the family centers of the child and youth welfare department of MA 11 in order to provide those affected with the best possible support.
Since September 2023, Case Management has also acted as a recognized advisory center for “housing umbrella applications” in municipal housing. The aim of this support service is to provide tenants who are at risk of losing their home with financial support to promote long-term housing security.
Advice and contact for all tenants
Advice is offered daily by case management social workers during the regular opening hours of the Wiener Wohnen service center (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). After making an appointment by telephone, those affected can receive straightforward and direct support. Wiener Wohnen also informs tenants regularly and in a low-threshold manner about the topic of help with payment difficulties, for example in the tenant magazine “Mein haus im Gemeindebau”.
Contact
https://www.wienerwohnen.at/hilfe
Wiener Wohnen service number: 05 75 75 75