Kaunas Apartment Residents Build 10,000 Euro Shelter in Basement

Residents of an apartment building in Kaunas have transformed their neglected basement into a functional shelter, securing 10,000 euros in municipal funding for the project. The initiative, driven by the residents themselves, aimed to create a safe space equipped with essential safety and hygiene features.

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Before installing the shelter, these premises were completely neglected. There was an old heating unit, old pipelines, which hindered evacuation. They were dismantled, the room was tidied up

According to Arnas Menciūnas, head of the building management department at UAB "Kauno butų ūkis," the basement was previously in disarray, cluttered with old heating systems and pipelines that hindered evacuation. These were removed, and the approximately 60-square-meter space was renovated. A key focus was ensuring at least two distinct emergency exits – one leading to the inner courtyard and another to the street – to guarantee safe passage even if one exit is blocked.

Additional safety measures include reinforced doorways, new exterior doors, and metal stairs. The shelter also features updated electrical wiring, emergency lighting powered by a generator, and a designated panel for connecting alternative power sources. Basic hygiene needs are met with a sink and sewage system, and the space is clearly marked as a shelter.

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One exit leads to the inner courtyard, the other to the street. They are on different sides of the building, so if one is blocked, you can evacuate through the other.

Menciūnas noted that while the current setup meets basic requirements for short stays, residents are considering further improvements like concrete flooring and painting to make the space more comfortable. He also highlighted the straightforward process for obtaining municipal funding, which requires an application and the approval of a majority of apartment owners. In this specific case, all residents of the small building agreed to the project, as the municipality covered 100% of the installation costs.

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The main thing is to get the approval of the majority of apartment owners

Despite the ease of access to funding, the overall interest in such programs appears low, with only a few apartment buildings in Kaunas having applied for similar shelter installations. Karolina Sakalauskienė, head of the Housing Modernization, Administration, and Energy Department at Kaunas City Municipality, indicated that only a handful of buildings have shown interest.

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Since the municipality finances up to 100% of the shelter installation work, residents are usually inclined to approve its installation because it does not cost them anything.