Conservation through maintenance : the case of social housing in Malta

Abstract

A significant part of the annual budget of the Housing Authority (Malta) is voted for the upkeep of its housing stock, a third of which is directed to cover costs related to the maintenance of common parts. This study focuses on the social housing blocks in Valletta dating i900 or earlier. Through archival research at the Authority, the cost of maintenance of a selected sample of the blocks is estimated. It is worth noting that Valletta, in its entirety, is designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and this fact renders even more important the task of assessing the relationship between the capital cost expenditure expanded on dangerous structures against the continuous maintenance of buildings. Only in this manner can one establish the cost effectiveness of pre-emptive maintenance against 'fire-fighting' remedial repairs. The dissertation projects ways and means on how the maintenance expenditure through a systematic maintenance/repair program can be reduced. It concludes by proposing a maintenance plan aimed at the upkeep of properties rather than risking them falling into dilapidation. Such a plan includes proposals aimed towards educating (i) the tenants, (ii) the residents' associations and (iii) the local community in the importance of conserving these historic and valuable sights in Malta's capital.