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USAID Mission to Poland
Europe & Eurasia
>> E & E Home >> Poland >> Assistance Areas >> Housing >> Activity Reports
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Last updated: 36
CHF
Activity Reports for housing programs funded by USAID in Poland - the reports principally cover 1998 and 1999.
- Historic and Post-flood revitalization (Bielsko-Biala and Klodzko)
- Cooperative Housing in a Market Economy & Housing Support for Partner Cities
- Urban Institute: Housing Finance
- Municipal Utility Pricing Policy Reform
- Urban Management Support Program
- Strengthening of the Property Management Training System
Activity Name: Bielsko-Biala Historic Revitalization, Bielsko-Biala and other Historic Study Tours, Post-flood Revitalization for Klodzko
Implementing Organization: Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF)
Bielsko-Biala Start Date: October 1, 1996
Completion Date: September 30, 1998
Klodzko Start Date: July 1, 1998
Completion Date: January 31, 2000
Activity goals and achievements:
These three linked activities promoted the revitalization of historic city centers utilizing public-private partnerships and public participation. The core activity is a 2½ year program of assistance to the city of Bielsko-Biala to initiate the process of sustainable city center revitalization using the principles of private sector and citizen engagement. The other activity was a series of four study tours to the U.S., visiting examples of historic revitalization that are relevant to Polish participants; this was followed up by a plan by tour participants to revitalize their own cities.
More information on this work can be found in the final report prepared by CHF.
Activity Name: Cooperative Housing in a Market Economy, Housing Support for Partner Cities
Implementing Organization: Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF)
Start Date: October 1, 1996
Completion Date: September 30,1999
Activity goals and objectives:
CHF created a network of local Agencies for the Support of Housing Initiatives (AWIMs), not-for-profit but financially self-sufficient business support organizations, as a key element in the decentralized housing delivery system. The present Cooperative Agreement will expand the network of AWIMs to another 24 cities, able to support private sector housing delivery, and will institutionalize and provide a permanent vehicle (the Center for Housing Initiatives – CIM) to support such a network and various other institutions working on housing initiative at the local level throughout Poland.
More information on this work can be found in the final report prepared by CHF.
Activity Name: Urban Institute: Housing Finance
Implementing Organization: Urban Institute Consortium
Start Date: October 1, 1996
Completion Date: September 30, 1999
Activity goals and objectives:
The program was designed to carry forward sectoral development to achieve sustainability, by:
- instituting sound sectoral supervision and regulation by the national bank
- developing and institutionalizing a national housing finance training system
- provision of policy advice to the Ministry of Finance to achieve an effective system of government support for housing.
Activity Name: Municipal Utility Pricing Policy Reform.
Implementing Organization: Research Triangle Institute, Inc.
Start Date: May 27, 1998
Completion Date: April 30, 1999
Activity goals and objectives:
The water and wastewater municipal infrastructure sector in Poland needs major investment efforts within the next decade. Current sources of funding, such as subsidized environmental credits and own resources of gminas will not be sufficient to close the gap estimated for 10-15 years assuming the unchanged funding levels. The underdeveloped level of municipal infrastructure limits the potential for economic growth in the urban centers. The sector expects public support (EU grants) but also needs large private investments. Current regulations formally permit that, but the system of water pricing do not allow for full cost recovery and for including new investment costs into water prices. As a result the private sector involvement is minimal.
At the moment some of the utilities are regulated and other not at all, depending on the ownership status. Under this activity the contractor provided technical assistance to the process of development of standards for water pricing, accounting, and technical conditions for water delivery. The contractor assisted the Water Standards Board, an advisory committee to the President of Housing and Urban Development Office (HUDO) composed of representatives of all relevant GOP ministries, local government representatives and representatives of utility companies. Through a participatory process based on consensus the subject standards will be approved. However, for the time being use of these by utilities will be voluntary, and in order to turn them into regulations the overall legislation (Water Law) has to be revised. Therefore, the contractor advised the President of HUDO on the future optimal solutions for institutional aspects of regulating the sector.
The use of public meeting aiming at public review of the standards was innovative, in Polish conditions, and use of participatory methodology of work is a major achievement of this project, as it constitutes new patterns of behavior for the government.
Activity Name: Urban Management Support Program
Implementing Organization: The Cooperation Fund
Start Date: September 28, 1995
Completion Date: December 31, 1998
Activity goals and objectives:
The UMSP was a subgrants and subcontracts program for Polish professional research, training and technical advisory services, which support local governments. The program provided support, including technical assistance, training and institutional development grants, to further the development of Polish municipal consulting industry and institutionalize / disseminate "best practices" in municipal management. The expected end result is two-fold: more effective local governments, and strengthened consulting, training and research infrastructure for municipal sector. The Urban Management Support Program (UMSP) operated in 3 technical areas -- municipal finance, solid waste management, and local housing. In response to the flood catastrophe which took place in southern Poland in July 1997 a fourth component, the Assistance and Reconstruction Program, was initiated.
The primary focus of the program is to facilitate taking over of USAID and other donors originated models and best practices by local consultants.
In the final months of the project the Cooperation Fund organized a small competition for Polish consulting and training companies and NGOs, and 18 dissemination-type projects (out of 60 proposed) were supported with about $90,000 of additional funding.
Activity Name: Strengthening of the Property Management Training System
Implementing Organization: Polish Real Estate Federation
Start Date: June 5, 1998
Completion Date: December 31, 1998
Activity goals and achievements:
The activity was a continuation of the Property Management Program initiated by the Eastern European Real Property Foundation (EERPF) under USAID financing in 1996. EERPF, in cooperation with a US based Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) successfully introduced a high quality training program in property management and laid the ground work for the development of the property manager profession in Poland.
The Polish Real Estate Federation (PREF), previously a sub-contractor to EERPF, took over the training system at the beginning of 1998. The main goal of the USAID grant was to strengthen and further institutionalize the property management training system through: a) enhancement of skills of existing Polish trainers; b) increase in their number; c) delivery of 4th and 5th training cycles for property managers.
PREF, working separately from IREM, also prepared and launched several additional training modules: 'Key Success Drivers in Management", "Elements of Competition Strategy and Market Analysis", "Business Plan Writing".
A Polish Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management was established and recognized by IREM Headquarters. It is assumed that this professional organization of Polish Certified Property Managers will become a future depository of the training system.
The Polish Federation of Property Management Associations was created as a primary nation-wide representation of the property management industry.
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Last Updated on: March 13, 2002 |
