2.3.3. Housing Quality

Figure 4. Overcrowding rate. Source: Eurostat (2014)

The 2011 Population and Housing Census showed that there is a stock of 8,450,942 dwellings and there were 7,086,394 households (NIS, 2011). These results would seem to suggest that there is an oversupply that could be used. Actually, there is an imbalance given by the household’ demands and their geographical distribution (Iacoboaea, 2014). The oversupply consists majorly of unfinished, low quality or inadequate housing (Iacoboaea, 2014). Even more, there is still, even after many years from the end of the Communist regime, an effect on the amount of floor space per person. The NIS 2011 census has revealed that in Romania there are 24.5 m2 per person, which is two thirds of the European average of 38 m2 (TENLAW 2014). The overall conditions in the European Union regarding overcrowding have improved since 2005 but the Eurostat statistics reveal that Romania`s situation has not improved significantly (Housing Europe, 2015).

2.3.3. Housing Quality

The European Commission has declared that lack of housing is the principal root of social exclusion and poverty and that bad quality housing has similar effects (Pittini, 2012). Although the EU has better quality dwellings compared to other

parts of the world, in 2009, around 30 million citizens of the Union were living in inadequate accommodations (Alpopi, 2014). The main elements used to assess the quality of housing are the basic utilities. The households, which do not have running water, central heating, or a bath, are being affected by housing deprivation (Housing Europe, 2015). A household is considered under severe housing deprivation if it is affected by overcrowding and other poor quality utilities (Housing Europe,2015). Severe housing deprivation level in Romania is the worst in the whole EU (see Figure 5). Although it has improved between 2013 and 2014, the difference to the European average is significant (see Figure 5). Around one in four persons in Romania is considered to face severe housing deprivation, while in Finland or the Netherlands, less than 1% of the population has this problem (see Figure 5). The absence of basic utilities is a major issue especially in the villages where 1/3 of the dwellings have no shower or bath, nor indoor toilet (Housing Europe,2015). The 2011 census results found out that only 65.1% of the homes have a sewage system and 66.7% of them have running water (NIS, 2011). In comparison, the average in the EU is that of around 80% of accommodations that have running water and a bath (Iacoboaea,2014). In conclusion, the reports and statistics seem to agree that the housing quality in Romania is of a low standard, at the moment.

Figure 5. Severe Housing Deprivation. Source: Eurostat (2014)