Housing is losing its feeling of safety
February 2024
While reading Taina Ruhala’s and Pekka Huhti’s interviews in the issue 1/2024 of Asuntomme magazine, you can’t help but think that the government, with its plans to cut into social security, is trampling the feeling of safety amongst residents and breaking the very cornerstones of our society, which is caring for those in vulnerable positions.
Cutting into housing allowance and other social security has been proven in impact assessments to disproportionately target those in vulnerable positions, but the government has despite all this pushed the cuts through. Is this what the building of a caring Finland looks like, according to what the government so enthusiastically spoke of all summer!
Through these cuts we create yet another endless cycle of disadvantage, passed down from previous generations, that we saw in relation to the recession in the 90s. Back then the bourgeois government also held a very tight economic leash, and dismissed all social effects. The price for this sort of narrow outlook will once again be high, both in people’s personal sufferings but also the material costs of social welfare.
True caring is about enabling a decent life for everyone, as Taina Ruhala so cleverly put it in her interview. Because of these cuts people may have to give up their longtime home or area caused by unyielding systems, or even cut food or medicinal expenses. That is not a decent way of life.
Oppressing policies do not lead to anything good, especially when simultaneously the wealthy get substantial tax reliefs. A person struggling to survive everyday life with a lower income may struggle to understand how the government can possibly be in such a deep financial crisis, if it is then able to give such reliefs for the wealthy. People’s feelings of inequality will only increase, and that has never led to anything worthwhile.
Vuokralaiset ry brings up these issues because it is our societal and humane duty. We also bring forth developments in housing, such as the right-of-occupancy advisory board and the developments in recycling while planning new ARA-houses that are discussed in this issue.
Happy spring to all our readers! Summer and its warmth are thankfully soon here.
Suna Kymäläinen
Chairwoman of Vuokralaiset ry
parliamentarian