Housing is a key determinant of people's quality of life and well-being. It is the space in which individuals express their identity and experience privacy, security and a sense of belonging. Access to adequate housing is therefore a fundamental human right and a prerequisite for a decent standard of living, as also emphasised in the Resolution on the National Housing Programme 2015–2025.

Despite the fact that the total housing stock in Slovenia exceeds the number of households, the country faces a shortage of rental housing, particularly public rental housing, especially in the most desirable locations. Consequently, housing policy has increasingly focused on expanding the supply of public rental housing. Ensuring an adequate supply of land for public housing development is therefore of critical importance, and this can be facilitated through circular spatial management measures.

Circular spatial management has emerged as a guiding principle for spatial development activities, including spatial planning, land policy and construction. Its implementation promotes the more efficient use of already urbanised areas and reduces the need for development on previously undeveloped land. Within this framework, the regeneration and reuse of derelict and underutilised areas are encouraged, while priority is given to the internal development of settlements through the use of underutilised land before the development of undeveloped building land.

In addition to the regeneration of derelict and underutilised areas, public rental housing can also be provided by bringing vacant dwellings back into use, in line with the principles of circular spatial management. These measures can therefore reduce the pressure for new public housing development and contribute to a more efficient use of land and existing housing resources.

 

Achieving these objectives requires the establishment of a comprehensive national register of publicly owned land and real estate suitable for public housing development. Such a register would enable more effective planning and implementation of public housing programmes, as no such comprehensive database currently exists in Slovenia.

The aim of the research project is therefore to identify and register publicly owned land and real estate suitable for public housing development, prepare a comprehensive inventory, assess the suitability of identified sites, establish a database of suitable land, and provide an expert basis for the preparation of a long-term public housing development plan.