We have been working on the topic of informal housing since 2014 and have been an integral part in the development and promotion of the Law on Informal Settlements and its regulation framework, respectively in documenting the informal settlements in Romania (check here for more, www.locuireinformala.ro). We conducted field research, analyses of the regulatory and funding framework, as well as methodological guides regarding the actions necessary for implementing the provisions of the Law on Informal Settlements (guides aimed at both local public authorities and communities in informal settlements: https://locuireinformala.ro/resurse/publicatiile-noastre/).

In continuation of these efforts, and due to the significant dimensions of housing issues in Roma communities in the Central Region, MKBT and the National Democratic Institute Romania, conducted the study “Territorial Diagnosis of Roma Communities in the Central Development Region of Romania” between March and May 2022, as part of the project “Inter-Ethnic Discourse and Minority Inclusion (IDMI 21030A).”

The research focused on analyzing the location of Roma-populated communities within localities, the socio-spatial characteristics of these communities, identifying informal settlements within these communities, and analyzing their access to infrastructure such as utilities, education, etc. For the study, we used official national data sources (such as the Census of Population and Housing) and data extracted from a questionnaire sent during the project to all local authorities in the Central Development Region of Romania.

The study also served as an opportunity to inform local public authorities in the Central Development Region about potential funding sources to address issues in informal communities. It also aimed to initiate support for fulfilling the responsibilities established by the aforementioned regulatory framework by providing the results of our previous research.

The research revealed similar issues in many informal settlements in Romania:

• The majority of informal settlements inhabited by Roma communities are located on the outskirts of localities or in areas outside them, some located natural-risks-prone areas, such as landslides, lacking access to infrastructure (sewage, public transport); in some cases, connection to the electricity network is only partial.
• Families are generally large, houses are overcrowded, and living conditions are poor.
• The number of people lacking formal education is very high, and the number of children dropping out of school is significant (15%).
• The percentage of the working-age population with employment is very low, and even lower for the female population.
• Although most public authorities that have informal settlements on their territory are aware of the provisions of Law 151/2019 and many of them have developed local development strategies in which they have foreseen measures dedicated to marginalized areas, the number of projects implemented is still very low.
• There are still few examples of good practices in addressing the complex issues raised by informal settlements in Romania. The regulatory process tested in Reșița was only a small first step in this direction (I have no papers, I do not exist).

However, we are optimistic that increasing attention is drawn to this issue and that practical models will soon emerge. At the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, part of the MKBT team was involved in a team of World Bank experts on a technical assistance project concerning informal settlements in Romania for the Ministry of Development, Public Works, and Administration, and the Ministry of Investments and European Projects. The goal of the project was to develop an action plan dedicated to improving living conditions for the population in informal settlements and to support the development of a funding guide for programs specific to these communities.