Terra ingognita: poor Roma settlements in Hungary - survey and first results

This paper summarizes the results of a survey conducted by the National Development Agency in 2010. A recent modification of an EU regulation has opened up the opportunity of improving the housing situation of marginalized groups through EU funds. The results of the data collection (which used a methodology that differs from previous surveys and aimed at covering the whole country) shows at least 1633 segregated settings or colonies, with a number of residents of approx. 300 000, i.e. 3 per cent of the population of Hungary. The paper presents the proportion of segregated settings in terms of their regional distribution, their size, the type of houses, the number of residents and their position in the settlement. It is highlighted that approx. 26 000 people live under miserable housing conditions in outskirts-colonies, without or with minimal access to public infrastructure. The authors suggest possible ways to identify the target group of a housing program and draw the attention to the fact that a national framework of legislation and policy - especially the support of educational integration - is indispensable to improve the poorests' housing situation. Reprinted by permission of Szociológiai Szemle