ICCARus stands for Improving housing Conditions for CAptive Residents in Ghent. It is a project funded by Urban Innovative Actions (UIA), an initiative of the European Union that provides urban areas throughout Europe with resources to test new and unproven solutions to address urban challenges.
To communicate on the field, to our target groups, we chose a dutch equivalent for ICCARus: Gent knapt op, which means ‘Ghent revives’. It makes sense.
The project will rebuild 100 homes of vulnerable families so that their quality improves and the houses become more energy efficient. Participants receive a maximum of 30,000 euros for this. The partners of Gent knapt op ensure free guidance and advice.
Recurring fund
The project provides for a maximum of 30,000 euros to renovate the house. Candidates only pay back the money when the property is sold. We then use that money to redecorate another home. This is called a recurring fund. It enables us to constantly renovate homes for people who need it.
What are the benefits of the project?
Unlike traditional grants, no pre-financing is expected from the resident. This makes it possible for families with limited financial resources to structurally improve their living situation.
The individual guidance and the positive result also strengthen the self-esteem of the emergency owners. The project combats social repression.
During group counseling, people also strongly focus on community building. This reinforces the social life of the participants and that of the entire neighborhood. The project also contributes to the urban and Flemish climate objectives.
What participants say
Throughout the project I learned to know my neighbours and the whole neighbourhood better.
a participant
The ICCARus-project is a gift for life. The more households that can participate, the merrier.
a participant
It’s not easy for me to fill in forms, to write, to make appoint-ments. The ICCARus-team takes that over, what a relief.
a participant
ICCARus 