At different stages of life, people have different housing needs. A growing family requires a different home than a retired couple. An elderly person who has lost their spouse needs a different home than a young person who has just become independent. 

In a good city, each of them finds a suitable home. That’s why the city needs a diverse housing stock: both detached houses and apartment buildings, both owned and rental apartments, as well as right-of-occupancy homes, both non-profit landlords and commercial operators. None of these alone is enough. 

Porvoon Kodit offers options for various life situations: for families, singles, couples, students, and the elderly. Half of our apartments are two-room flats; a quarter are studios, a fifth are three-room apartments, and about 7% are larger than that. 

Two-thirds of our homes are located in apartment buildings, but we also have corridor-access buildings, residences for special groups, row houses, and a few semi-detached houses. Many tenants dream of having their own small yard, and row and semi-detached homes are popular and comfortable for long-term living. 

Porvoon Kodit’s apartments have been built over seven different decades, so there’s a variety of styles from retro to brand new. For the city’s healthy growth, it’s essential that affordable housing is available evenly across the city. In many residential areas, you can find Porvoon Kodit’s buildings. Residents appreciate good transport connections and having services nearby, preferably within walking distance. 

We all understand that a city wouldn’t work if it only had detached houses or only studio rentals. The turmoil in the world and the economy also strongly affect housing. Diversity makes the housing market flexible and resilient in times of crisis because we’re not relying on just one option. 

A diverse supply of housing makes it easy to move to Porvoo and stay here, even as life situations and needs change. 

This text was orginally a speech by Porvoon Kodit mamaging director Marjut Sandsjoe at Clean World Porvoo event 22.10.2025