How social sustainability work becomes a success for housing companies

Lena Liljendahl is an expert on housing issues at Sveriges Allmänytta. With a strong commitment to social issues and a keen interest in communication, Lena has contact with member companies to gather experience and spread good examples. We delve into an interview and hear more about how to create a good tenant dialogue, the benefits of giving space for housing to tenants and the financial benefits it brings to the administration.

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Tell us more about Sveriges Allmänytta's work on social sustainability?

The topic of social sustainability is very big, but there are four areas that I have extra focus on; tenant communication, housing participation (participation), integration and neighborhood development. It is in these areas that I work to gather experience and good examples in order to be able to assist with support for all those property owners who hear from them and want to develop in the field. Our member companies are large owners of properties in socio-economically vulnerable areas where it is increasingly important to have skills and how to approach the issues in practical terms. It is both the responsibility and interest of the property owner today.

Why is housing influence important?

This applies to people's homes, a point of security to which there is a lot of emotion attached, and usually the tenants know very well how things work in the houses and what can be improved. As a landlord, it is important to listen, receive and be open to opinions and then get feedback with what you can offer. We see a lot of benefits when the dialogue with the residents works well. It can apply to day-to-day management work but also on special occasions such as during a renovation. It often involves catching a concern and then finding a way to engage with the tenant to make it work at its best.

“We see a lot of benefits when the dialogue with the residents works well. It can apply to day-to-day management work but also on special occasions such as during a renovation”.

How does housing influence the management of housing companies?

In some neighbourhoods, as few as 27% of residents have jobs and school results can be so low that only half of children who finish primary school get into secondary school. It creates disappointment, negative spirals and a breeding ground for criminality. And it affects property management which can become more intractable. Here, living space becomes especially important because in such a position it is a matter of lifting the area and stepping up. And it is a work that is best done together with the residents themselves. Residents often say; “ask us, we know, we live here and we love the area”. All people want to feel comfortable where they live and there are a lot of positive forces in living that you have to make sure to take advantage of. Property owners have a big role here and can really make a difference. There are several examples of residential areas where there has been a positive movement and where the housing company has played a key role, Gårdsten outside Gothenburg is just one example. But it takes a long time.

What are the challenges for housing companies in working with housing?

It can be challenging to satisfy all points of view and requests if the wishes are conflicting, or difficult to determine whether the views of a few people are truly representative of more. Then it might be good to have reference groups. Some of our members continuously invite young people to a panel to hear how they view the future of living. Another challenge may be reaching out and engaging residents precisely to get them involved. An encouraging way might be to earmark a special pot of money, sometimes called a housing budget, that tenants can apply to use for pleasure-enhancing projects or activities.

Renovation is another example of when housing influence and communication are especially important for a good result. Getting in touch with each individual tenant can be time-consuming and difficult. Here it can be useful to make use of many different channels and approaches. Information on website, in accommodation app, stairwell allocation, in-depth interview, viewing apartment, Q&A sessions and more classic information meetings are some examples. You need to work on multiple fronts at the same time and find ways to create engagement. During the pandemic, many people tried holding digital meetings with tenants for the first time and some have continued with it as a complement.

“Those owners who are good at tenant communication will rather find an approach where they facilitate as much as possible for the tenant to do the right thing”.

What do you think good tenant communication looks like?

It is easy to associate tenant communication with the problem-oriented. The use and maintenance of common areas such as laundry and stairwells as well as security and safety issues are things that our members highlight as particularly challenging. Here there is a risk that there will be a lot of pointers to the residents. But those property owners who are good at tenant communication rather find a way of relationship where they make it as easy as possible for the tenant to do the right thing. This can include getting out on an ongoing basis with important information in good time, sharing informative videos about apartment and stairwell care, or improving signage to garbage rooms. And in parallel, they work on building an ongoing relationship and trust. If you are good at positive information, even the difficult things become easier and this creates pride in both employees and tenants. My general tip is not to forget that there are usually many different ways to reach tenants and that sometimes you need to use several channels in parallel. SMS, app, website, stairwell grants and boom meetings are just a few examples and sometimes you need to work on several fronts at the same time and not just have one channel. You can also take the opportunity to inform at an event in the area that draws a lot of people or ask to attend when a local association has a meeting.

Does work differ between private and public utility companies in terms of social sustainability?

For the public good, social sustainability work is in our DNA and the work we do can be taken for granted. We are sometimes a little worse at paying attention to all the good things that are being done in the field. I understand that private actors today are more interested than in the past in being of benefit to society. Our members often point out that social sustainability work does not have to contradict business sense. On the contrary, and we also notice that more and more people are interested in this and want to take part in our work.

“There can be a direct link to money if you land right with your social sustainability work. If you succeed in a good tenant dialogue and to engage residents, there is, for example, money to be saved in the areas of damage, waste management and energy consumption”.

Where are the biggest economic gains from social sustainability work?

There can be a direct link to money if you land right with your social sustainability work. If you succeed in a good tenant dialogue and to engage residents, there is, for example, money to be saved in pest management, waste management and energy consumption. Other effects that occur when people thrive include reduced relocations and reduced risk of vacancies. Of course, relocation also has to do with other factors and cannot be entirely attributed to social sustainability work. However, increased security and well-being is always a big gain from a societal perspective.

“I believe a lot in the combination of analog and digital. Use many channels and tools”.

What are your tips for those housing actors who want to create a better tenant dialogue?

I'm a big believer in the combination of analog and digital. Use many channels and tools. Send out communications, surveys and questions digitally and by analogue, and offer coffee outside the house. Think outside the box. Have creative ideas and take inspiration from how others have done — most of them have the same challenges. Contact housing companies elsewhere and dare to try different ways to meet the tenant and have a good dialogue. Companies that are good at constantly reminding their employees about the role of community actors in the locality, I believe, have better success. The role means more than just being a commercial property owner — you have to want to offer that little extra.