Year and Location: Feb 2004 – Sep 2005, Bulgaria. Client: MATRA Fund. Transition in the Bulgarian housing sector has been drastic in the 1990's. Housing production is no longer solely a state affair. Private parties are also increasingly responsible for management and maintenance of the housing stock, yet for many home owners investment in maintenance has not become a habit. In multi family buildings apartment buildings technical problems are starting to become urgent particularly in the panel building complexes that were built during the socialist period. MATRA is funding a consortium comprising IHS, PRC Bouwcentrum, Urban Solutions and the Bulgarian Foundation for Local Government Reform for a two year project to improve the institutional and financial aspects of the maintenance of existing housing stock in two urban districts of Sofia. The project aims to: * set up a financing structure to stimulate private investment; * design an institutional structure to support owners in multifamily apartment buildings to organise themselves via a condominium or homeowners' association; * advise on changes in legislation to provide legal enforcement for owners who fail to invest in maintenance; * advise on enlargement of the social housing sector in Bulgaria.