The diocese built a house with 30 rental apartments for seniors on the outskirts of Plzeň

Plzeň – A new residential building with 30 apartments intended for rental housing for seniors has been built in the outskirts of Plzeň Nové Hospodě by the Plzeň Diocese. Seniors will pay 7,000 or 11,000 crowns per month for living in 1+kk and 2+kk apartments. All apartments that the diocese offers for rent through a real estate agency have sanitary facilities and a kitchen unit with basic appliances. If needed or interested, tenants can turn to charity, which will help them manage their household and provide additional services for a fee. The new building was blessed today by Bishop Tomáš Holub, said Pavel Říha, spokesman for the diocese, to ČTK.

"The benefit of this housing is that seniors have the assurance of serious dealings from the diocese. They will live in a house with people who are of similar age. Within the building, there is a common room where tenants can gather. There is also an outdoor space available for spending leisure time together with others," he described. Outdoor parking spaces can also be used, and covered parking spaces are available for a monthly fee. The building is located in the outskirts of the city near the forest, 50 meters from the house is a trolleybus stop, and there is a shopping area nearby in Borská Pole.

The Plzeň City Charity has an office in the building, which can assist seniors with household management and chores if they are interested. They can help with household tasks and shopping, ensuring healthy meals, or even facilitating contact with the surrounding community. The charity can also provide seniors with positioning beds, medical aids, or cosmetic and hairdressing services, as well as order city transport services like Senior taxi. It can also assist with obtaining care allowances. For potential tenants who are in difficult financial situations, the diocese can also advise and assist in obtaining housing allowances or emergency aid.

The diocese cooperates with the organization "More than just housing," which focuses on providing rental housing for people at risk of social exclusion or discrimination, including seniors. According to Říha, it is often difficult for people in challenging social situations to access conventional rental housing. "They often live in boarding houses, which is financially disadvantageous for both the tenants and the state, which effectively subsidizes what is called the poverty business. The only thing that often separates a client from standard rental housing are the prejudices of the owners or a lack of knowledge of the real estate market and fears of necessary administration,” he said.

The Plzeň diocese decided to invest in apartments years ago. Especially in Plzeň, it owns several buildings with hundreds of commercially utilized apartments. This is one of the ways it aims to secure its income.