Wheelchair user Marte Imingen was refused municipal housing in Bodø – NRK Nordland

Finding a home as a wheelchair user is not just-just. Marte Imingen wanted to stay closer to friends and family. Therefore, she moved from Mo i Rana in December 2021 to establish herself in Bodø. After a short time, she received a job offer and today has a 30 percent position as a cultural employee. But moving to Bodø proved to be difficult. Even before she moved, work began on finding a home that could meet her needs. The road there was to turn out to be much heavier than she had thought, and only a coincidence reversed the situation. No housing for her needs It quickly became clear that the private rental market in Bodø did not have housing with Marte’s needs: Due to the wheelchair, the apartment must have a certain size, preferably up to 60 square meters. The shower enclosure must be large enough. There can be no stairs to get to the apartment. The parking lot must be close to the front door. It must be allowed with animals. – Then there was practically nothing left, she says. Marte then contacted Bodø municipality and applied for municipal housing. The rejection from the municipality came quickly One demand stood in the way. It is the municipalities themselves who decide which criteria are used as a basis for allocating municipal housing. One of the criteria most municipalities operate with is that the applicant must have had a registered address in the relevant municipality for some time before they can be allocated municipal housing. Municipalities such as Oslo, Stavanger and Trondheim operate for two years. Bergen and Narvik are among the municipalities that have one year. Tromsø has chosen to set a limit of six months. – Bodø municipality is required to live for two years. When the refusal came, I was very annoyed. I thought it was not possible that there should be any reason. Marte complained, but the decision was upheld. She also sent the rejection to the State Administrator in Nordland. – When it is so difficult to enter the housing market in Bodø, I think the municipality must be a little more helpful. Marte became frustrated when she learned that the requirement for residence was the reason for the refusal. Photo: Anneli Strand Drevvatne / NRK Municipality: – Great demand, few homes The housing office in Bodø has been presented with the criticism from Marte. They respond as follows to the justification for residence: – Municipal housing is a scarce commodity and the municipality thus has guidelines for granting municipal housing. This is what the business manager at the housing office in Bodø, Ellinor Myhre, tells NRK. She says that the municipality has previously experienced a large influx of applications from people who did not live in Bodø, and who also had no connection to Bodø. – In order to be able to offer the municipality’s residents municipal housing, we saw ourselves having to introduce requirements for residence time, Myhre says. Bodø municipality, like several other municipalities, has a point that says that they can look away from this rule on a special basis. Marte herself believes she is qualified through such an exception. Have lived in Bodø for six years previously The rule on a registered address also has no retroactive effect. Marte lived in Bodø in the period 2010 to 2016. – So the fact that I have lived here for six years before has nothing to say. When I moved here in 2010, I also found no apartment, and there was no help to get from the municipality. – I ended up staying in a hotel for four months while looking for a suitable apartment. Marte says that she is disappointed that things have not changed in the ten years since she last applied for municipal housing. – One can not expect private individuals to arrange for apartments for the disabled. It is a responsibility of the municipality. I felt like I tried every opportunity. To be able to start working, Marte first commuted weekly between her home municipality Steigen and Bodø. A distance of 24 miles. On weekdays, she lived with siblings, who do not have wheelchair-friendly houses. – Living like this is demanding over time. – The municipalities do not have good enough knowledge Cato Lie is a senior adviser in the Joint Organization of the Disabled. Photo: FFO / Lars Opstad Cato Lie is a senior adviser in FFO. He tells NRK that they are well acquainted with problems with regard to adapted municipal housing. – We know that there are too few adapted homes in most municipalities and that the municipalities do not have good enough knowledge about, and an overview of, their own housing stock. Lie also points out that the municipal housing is often poorly maintained. The allocation office helped Marte In connection with another application, Marte was in contact with the allocation office in Bodø. There she told about the housing situation and the rejection from the housing office. – The allocation office then recommended me to apply again. After both the allocation office and NRK have been in contact with the housing office, Bodø municipality turned the case around. – I am very happy that it finally worked out, thanks to help from the allocation office and pressure from the media. But I think it’s tiring to be so difficult. – Had it not been for the allocation office, I do not know what I would have done. Considered moving home to mother Marte says that she is frustrated with the amount of work she has had to put in to achieve what she believes she is entitled to. – Just writing applications is a 100 percent position. It takes a lot mentally to stand in everything. The 29-year-old came up with the idea of ​​living at his mother’s home in Steigen. – When it has been the most objectionable, I considered whether it would have been best. With a job in the city, Marte thinks it would be sad if the housing situation forced her to submit dismissal. Promised home from mid-June – There is so much fighting and fighting behind. The only thing I want is to work as any healthy person. Marte has now been promised municipal housing from mid-June, as long as it is not refurbished. Then it will take longer. – I encourage everyone to stand up for what they think they are entitled to, and hope this case can be an inspiration for others who are struggling.



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