Creating Public Value through Social Housing Programs. Some Insights from Italian Local Governments

This paper analyses the contribution that public real estate management (from here PREM), can provide to the enhancement of LGs performance and to the creation of public value for the community.More in details, the research will focus on a specific segment of public property portfolio, the so called “social housing”, for addressing the main issues arising in the management of this segment of assets; moreover, the research wants to highlight the connection between public property management and sustainability of an LG.The paper is structured as follows: the first section describes the scope of the research; the second section provides the theoretical framework in which the research fits; the third section analyses actual issues, criticisms and trends perceived in the field of “social housing”. The renewed interested on this topic arise the claim for a new welfare system that involves both public and private sector. More in details, a private support to the implementation and improvement of public strategies it is required in order to fully meet citizens’ expectations and to conceive social value. The last section presents a case study analysis of some “social housing programs” launched within Italian Local Governments. The analysis confirms the importance that property management strategies assume for LGs. Furthermore, it emerges that social housing programs - structured to provide/ enhance the empowerment of social conditions and sustainability of a community - are “key factors”. Their implementation requires a greater efforts from public managers, whose mission and vision has to be orientated towards the creation and consolidation of social value and urban development.