State Housing Scheme
The State Housing Scheme is a welfare scheme operated by the Department of Housing & Urban Development which seeks to provide housing to all Fortressian citizens.
State Housing Framework
The State Housing Scheme and all its provisions are extremely complex, but in as simple terms as possible, every citizen, upon either reaching the age of majority or attaining citizenship, is issued a housing voucher. Each housing voucher is tied to a specific residence in a specific location. Vouchers can be "upgraded" depending on the changing living arrangements of the individual to which it was issued, though no individual may have more than one housing voucher, and housing vouchers cannot be bought, sold, rented, or leased, but they can be traded and inherited.
The exact location and type of housing are not random, but determined prior to issue. Typically, the size of the residence is based on the likely co-habitants and dependents of the individual. For example, a lone individual will likely be issued a small apartment, while couples may receive a large apartment, and those with large families receiving standalone houses. As for location, best practices are to issue children residences within no more than two hours public transit from that of their parent's in order to foster deep intergenerational ties to strengthen communities. School and employment are also taken into account when issuing vouchers, as well as general desire, though obviously it's not possible for everyone to live in the same town, city, or settlement.
Housing Types
Available housing under the State Housing Scheme depends on location, and is classified as either high density, medium density, or low density.
Urban Housing
- Mixed used apartments - high density
Mixed use apartments are those which share buildings with both commercial and office space, typically located within a city's central business district and consisting of single occupant units.
- Urban apartments - high density
Urban apartments are those which are located within a city, but which constitute their own stand alone buildings. Units can be for single or multiple occupants.
- Rowhouses - medium density
Rowhouses are typically located within the fringes of urban centers, away from the most dense areas but still firmly within the city. They are for multiple occupants, specifically families.
Suburban Housing
- X-over-1s - high density
X-over-1s are typically located within the commercial areas of the suburbs, and provide both single and multiple occupant units.
- Suburban apartments - medium density
Suburban apartments are the classic sort of apartment complex, which approximate something like their own mini-communities. Typically located just outside a suburb's commercial areas, they are for multiple occupants, with an emphasis on small families.
- Suburban house - low density
Suburban houses are standalone single family units.
Rural Housing
- Commune - low density
Communes consist of units not too dissimilar from those of suburban apartments, though much smaller. A grant of commune residency is rare, as it is tied to having a job at the commune.
- Ranch - low density
Ranches are the residences of farmers living on their farms, and as such these residences are only granted to those with jobs located on the farm on which they work.
Special Instance Housing
- Reward houses - low density
Reward houses are standalone single family units which are typically larger than suburban houses. They are granted as rewards to those individuals who work in the construction of a certain number of public housing units, assuming all units are up to code.
- Vacant lots - low density
If an individual wishes to build their own home, and they have proven that they have the resources and skills necessary to do so, and they have a temporary space to live during construction, such as a trailer, they can apply for a vacant lot on which to build. Such vouchers, however, come with a mandatory 30 year moratorium on their trade. This is to ensure that the person is sufficiently serious about their intent to build and subsequently live in their home.