Individual housing subsidies
Generally speaking, the City of Vienna supports people in need. They can apply to Municipal Department 40 (MA 40), which is in charge of social welfare, in order to receive a guaranteed minimum income, or contact Municipal Department 50 (MA 50) – Housing Promotion and Arbitration Board for Legal Housing Matters to receive housing allowance.
Eviction prevention in the private and limited- or non-profit housing sector
Especially in the field of eviction prevention, the Centre for Secure Tenancy FAWOS (Fachstelle für Wohnungssicherung), which is a facility of Volkshilfe Wien on behalf of the City of Vienna, offers special services. They are aimed at residents of private, co-operative and externally managed municipal dwellings in Vienna, who are threatened with the loss of their home. FAWOS thus acts as a preventive measures against the increasing cases of homelessness.
As soon as an action of eviction is brought to court, FAWOS is automatically informed and immediately gets in touch with the tenants to prevent eviction.
Eviction prevention in the public housing sector
Wiener Wohnen has a team of social workers (case management unit), who act on the agency’s behalf to assist tenants who are threatened by compulsory eviction and have not yet contacted Wiener Wohnen. The objective is to prevent eviction, for example by drawing up a plan to pay in instalments, or sometimes by simply explaining that the rent has to be paid on a monthly basis and that it is due now. The highest priority is given to families with children aged under 18 years, retired persons and young adults between the ages of 20 and 30. Often the persons concerned, for whatever reason, fail to inform themselves in a timely or independent manner about solutions and support options. This is where the case management approach offers support and help.
