Resident democracy
Heka has an extensive resident democracy system and diverse resident activities. The resident democracy system gives resident decision-making power and influence in matters concerning their own housing, increases the comfort of living and promotes the maintenance of apartment buildings.
The purpose of resident democracy is to secure timely and sufficient information flow between residents and Heka in the joint management arrangements.
Amendment to the Act on Joint Management and the tenant democracy by-law
Heka’s tenant democracy is based on the Act on Joint Management and Heka’s tenant democracy by-law. The new Act on Joint Management will enter into force on 1 January 2024. The amendment will also update Heka’s tenant democracy by-law, which will be known hereinafter as the “resident democracy by-law”.
Even though the actual by-law will take effect on 1 January 2024, the decisions and choices at the resident meetings of autumn 2023 will already adhere to the updated by-law.
Some names will change in conjunction with the update of the tenant democracy by-law.
- The building committee will be known hereinafter as the “resident committee”.
- The tenant advisory board will be known hereinafter as the “regional committee”.
- The tenant advisory board will be known hereinafter as the “resident advisory board”.
The new names are used on Heka’s website and this page.
Heka’s resident democracy system
Heka’s resident democracy system operates on three levels:
- Each property has a resident committee elected by the resident meeting.
- Representatives of the resident committee form the regional committee. Within Heka, the regional committee brings together resident committees in the rent equalisation area, distributes information and provides training. There is a total of 21 regional committees.
- All the Heka residents are represented by the resident advisory board, which features members from each regional committee.
In addition to this, the residents have their own representatives in Heka’s Board of Directors and cooperation body.
At the level of the properties themselves, the resident meetings, which are open to all, are among the most important customer democracy bodies. At the meetings, residents discuss matters related to their residential buildings, brainstorm shared activities and decide on the use of the appropriations for resident activities. The resident meetings also select the members of the building committee. Alternatively, a trustee and a deputy can be elected.
More information on resident democracy is provided in the Act on Joint Management and Heka’s resident democracy by-law, which is based on it.
Particularly active residents also have the opportunity to take part in the joint management bodies of Heka and the residents.
Heka’s resident cooperation bodies
The resident committee consists of a chairperson as well as members and deputy members elected by the residents.
The resident committee decides on the principles of sharing parking places, saunas, laundry rooms and similar shared spaces. The committee can also organise a variety of events and training courses.
The members and deputy members elected by each regional committee form the resident advisory board, which serves as a joint representative of the regional committees and Heka residents.
The resident advisory board promotes and develops resident democracy and joint management as well as supports the operations of the regional committees.
The resident advisory board can provide instructions and advice on the practical application of the resident democracy by-law. The practical instructions may not conflict with the joint management act and Heka’s resident democracy by-law.
The resident advisory board issues the final proposals on the actual members of Heka’s Board of Directors to the City of Helsinki and elects Heka’s financial and administrative supervisor from among the candidates indicated by the resident meetings.
Contact persons of the current resident advisory board:
- Chair of the resident advisory board Tiina Backström
- Deputy Chair Hans Duncker
- Secretary Anne Vuori
- Treasurer Pirjo salo
The resident advisory board has a website at www.hekalaiset.fi. You can send e-mail to the resident advisory board to vnk.helsinki (at) gmail.com.
The members and deputy members elected by each regional committee form the resident advisory board, which serves as a joint representative of the regional committees and Heka residents.
The resident advisory board promotes and develops resident democracy and joint management as well as supports the operations of the regional committees.
The resident advisory board can provide instructions and advice on the practical application of the resident democracy by-law. The practical instructions may not conflict with the joint management act and Heka’s resident democracy by-law.
The resident advisory board issues the final proposals on the actual members of Heka’s Board of Directors to the City of Helsinki and elects Heka’s financial and administrative supervisor from among the candidates indicated by the resident meetings.
Contact persons of the current resident advisory board:
- Chair of the resident advisory board Tiina Backström
- Deputy Chair Hans Duncker
- Secretary Anne Vuori
- Treasurer Pirjo salo
The resident advisory board has a website at www.hekalaiset.fi. You can send e-mail to the resident advisory board to vnk.helsinki (at) gmail.com.
The Heka-level cooperation body (formerly Heka-yte) is a cooperation body between residents and Heka which is referred to in the Act on Joint Management. It handles the joint management matters concerning Heka’s entire range of housing units.
The aim of the cooperation body is to represent Heka residents in relation to Heka and collet together the views of the resident meetings and resident committees.
The Heka-level cooperation body does not make decisions, but it has the right to take part in the preparation of budgets, long-term plans, equalisation and land assessment principles as well as agreements regarding maintenance and upkeep, basic renovations and updates, and the procurement of other services related to housing.
The cooperation body consists of Heka’s CEO, other Heka managers and five resident members.
If necessary, the regional committees will separately organise the meetings of the contact group, in which Heka representatives are requested to participate. The aim is to address more detailed matters relating to the area or property.
The Board of Directors of the Helsinki City Housing Company features two resident members. The resident advisory board makes the final proposal on the actual resident members of the Heka Board of Directors to the City of Helsinki.
Heka’s Board of Directors handles the company’s administration and the appropriate organisation of its operations. The members of Heka’s Board of Directors are elected in the annual general meeting held each spring after the financial statements have been completed.
The resident meeting is entitled to elect a financial and administrative supervisor for the rent determination unit.
The regional committee appoints the financial and administrative supervisor for its operating area (formerly regional supervisor).
The resident advisory board elects one financial and administrative supervisor for Heka from the candidates presented by the resident meetings.
It is the duty of the supervisors to monitor and inspect the handling of Heka’s financial and administrative affairs within their supervised area. The supervisors must also monitor and inspect the use and posting of appropriations by the joint management body in their operating area.
The official term of the financial and administrative supervisors is one calendar year, but the residents can appoint a supervisor for a longer period if they so desire.