Research on access to home ownership, housing policy and rent regulation. Frequent collaboration with the Federal Housing Office.
Access to home ownership
A sequence of research on home ownership in Switzerland, the country with the lowest share of homeowners in Europe: Why is it so low? Shouls something be done about that? What? Is this a task for the federal government or the cantons? Etc.
Our book “Locataire ou Propriétaire?”
Temporary ownership: what is the acceptability of a model of short prepaid leases
We determined the Swiss population’s interest in home ownership of the form proposed by the new model Pagameno. That model is designed to help households overcome financial hurdles by allowing them to purchase property at a third of its normal price. In compensation, their ownership is limited in time, e.g. to 30 years. That model is a form of short lease, similar to those that exist in the UK. Is that deal convincing for renters? Would they accept to buy their current flat under those conditions? What category of households are interested in the model? How should the model be amended to gather greater acceptance? Answers to those questions will help improve the model and its presentation. Financial support: Federal Housing Office (1999).
The conversion of rental to owner-occupied flats
Description of the conditions for the ownership conversion of flats and identification of the main determinants of supply of rental and owner-occupied housing. Measures were proposed to facilitate this conversion. Financial support: Federal Housing Office, FRI, CGI. (1996-2000)
Examination of housing policy: Housing policy for economic growth
Proposition of a housing policy concept compatible with a growth strategy. Assessment of current policies and propositions for reforms. This was a synthesis report, based on the empirical literature. Contract: Commission fédérale des questions conjoncturelles. (1998)
Housing policies in Western Europe
The recent evolution of public policies and the support of public utility developers
The research aimed at describing recent developments in housing policies in various Western European countries on the one hand, and tools specifically designed to help the builders of public utility housing on the other hand. The research was essentially descriptive. Its results were used by the agencies and Swiss authorities responsible for review of Swiss housing policy. Contract: Federal housing office. (1997)
The research continued for an article analyzing and comparing housing policies in three European countries that have among the highest proportions of rental housing and social housing: Sweden (Jim Kemeny), the Netherlands (January Kersloot) and Switzerland (Philippe Thalmann). The article was publised in Housing Studies 20(6), 2005.
To facilitate the access to housing for grouos with structural problems: Object-based credits
Stéphane Cuennet prepared proposals and accompanied the working group set up by the Federal housing office for preparing the implementation of the credit model recommended by the Federal commission for housing construction. Contract: Federal housing office. (2000)
Continued observation of the Swiss housing market
Contributions to the yearly RICS studies on European housing markets. (1999-2003)
SOLVE-H
Mapping Social Value of Participation in Collaborative Housing
As part of the European Union’s flagship MSCA programme, the SOLVE-H project aims to develop an evidence-based index for mapping the social value of participation in collaborative housing (CoH) forms. After capturing the social impact of ‘collaborative’ trends in housing, it will develop pathways towards enhancing social sustainability in housing and improve the response to ongoing crises. (2024-2027)