In this study, we aimed to explore the challenges young adults face while trying to find stable housing in Ljubljana and how Gerbičeva, a housing community for young adults, tries to address those challenges. We examined the context of housing policy in which Gerbičeva was created and why current policies promote community-focused housing, and whether the responsible institutions succeeded in implementing this in Gerbičeva. The findings show that Gerbičeva was partly successful in addressing the housing needs of young adults, primarily because it offered an affordable and stable rental option. Nevertheless, it functions primarily as a temporary solution and a cheaper alternative for those responsible, while at the same time allowing them to avoid making long-term commitments to provide the necessary housing infrastructure. In the second part of the analysis, we identified a broader shift in housing policymaking towards promoting local social capital as a means of strengthening social cohesion. We identified Gerbičeva as a symptom of such a shift, as one of its main objectives was the development of a community. However, the empirical results of our research have shown that there was no assistance in building a community, suggesting that the notion of community was employed more as an empty rhetorical concept rather than a real goal.
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