Page 9 - U4SSC Case study: Affordable housing and social inclusion, June 2020

WGE! does connect people through:

• An elaborate algorithm to find the right partner for a flat share (website).

• A residential agreement to regulate the flat share.
• Supervision and monitoring throughout the project.

The most innovative part of WGE! is that its projects stretch out through the generations. Especially
in highly technological and developed cities, social isolation is a huge problem. WGE! addresses this
problem directly. Not only do the flatmates live together, they also share their lives.

In addition, the very real problem of the housing shortage is addressed. Instead of leaving rooms or
lodger flats unoccupied (while still paying for their maintenance, gas and electricity), WGE! makes sure
that such spaces can be used by people in need.

Results

The results of the project are numerous and can be summarized as follows:

• Young people get affordable housing and a family home.
• Elderly people can afford steadily more expensive apartments through having a roommate.
• Cross-generational exchange of knowledge and experience.

• Understanding and strengthening solidarity between the generations.

• Elderly people get support in everyday life and can thus live more self-determined lives.
• Elderly people can share their life experience and knowledge with younger generations.
• Separation and isolation are being counteracted.

Since its foundation in early 2016, WGE! has successfully connected more than 230 people. At the
moment, WGE! is expanding to two other cities in Austria. Three other countries are interested in
implementing the concept in their cities. All the flat shares that WGE! helped to create over the last
two and a half years are still happily running.

Case study: Affordable housing and social inclusion, June 2020 3