Träffen youth centremeets GIFTHE CUSTOMER CENTRE knows everything about most things

Meet our new Managing DirectorSTRANDENis bursting with life

GavlegårdarnaA N N U A L M

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2011

A year with

AB GAVLEGÅRDARNAAffärsplan 2008–2012

Mission

Short facts about Gavlegårdarna

The business plan is the overall

strategy document for Gavlegår-

darna. The current business plan

covers the period 2008-2012, but

in many ways the planning stretches

much further ahead than that. The

business plan is based on four focus

areas; people’s social needs,

a sustainable residential

environment, diversity, and

the renewal of suburban

areas and housing.

Number of fl ats: 15,200

Turnover: SEK 980 million

Balance sheet total: SEK 4 billion

Number of

commercial properties: 1,100

Number of employees: 200

Number of tenants: 30,000 approx.

Some key numbers

93.1%of our tenants are satisfi ed with their housing

business planGavlegårdarna’s

As a long-term and socially benefi cial housing company, the

objective looking ahead is to strengthen the organisation’s

position in the housing market where the future needs of

the municipality are greatest and where purely commercial

conditions are not obvious. The company will therefore

focus on developing housing for the elderly, for the disabled,

and for young people, based upon their needs. For a long

time, the company has had a special responsibility for

minority groups who might fi nd themselves in a diffi cult

position within the housing market.

2 | 2011

Editorial from our new Managing Director Welcome to a magazine that gives

an account of the year 2011 at Gavle-

gårdarna. As the newly appointed ma-

naging director, it is with great pleasure

that I am learning about the positive

developments within the company.

Having the opportunity to lead such

a well-managed housing company as

Gavlegårdarna cannot be seen as anyth-

ing but a privilege. However, succee-

ding a leader like Janne Hugg – you can

read an interesting interview with him

at the end of this magazine – is a job

that also brings with it responsibilities.

I am fully aware that I am taking over

from a very popular leader, although

the skilled and committed employees at

the company here make me confi dent

about doing the job. Together, we will

continue to be good at those things we

are already good at today. However,

my ultimate aim is that we will also

get better in those areas where there is

room for improvement.

Our homes are places that are

close to our hearts. When I look back

over my own life, I can state that I have

moved around a lot. And every time I

have put down the moving boxes in a

new place, I have said with conviction,

“I shall live here forever!” But life, as

we all know, doesn’t always turn out as

we expected. There are so many dif-

ferent reasons for why we might have

to move – changes in family circum-

stances, a change to one’s personal

fi nances, a new job, new accessibility

requirements, or quite simply a desire

for something different.

For us as a municipal housing

company, it is therefore vital that

we can offer many different types of

accommodation that people will fi nd

attractive at all of the various stages of

their lives. We want to be able to give

our young people and students the

possibility to live by themselves, we

want to attract new people to Gävle,

and at the same time we want those

who are already living here to stay here

– for years. In order to succeed with all

of this, we must safeguard the vision

that Janne Hugg talks about in his

interview. In reality, Gavlegårdarna

does so much more than simply mana-

ging fl ats and business premises. We

actually manage the environments and

habitats that, together, build a city.

My fi rst few months have been

spent getting to know the opera-

tion. I have spoken to tenants and

employees, to interest groups,

clubs and associations, and

politicians. In the course of these

conversations, I have met many

interesting people in various

roles. All are equally important

to our business.

It is with great humility that

I take the responsibility upon myself

for the way that Gavlegårdarna will

continue to look after your homes in a

good way. Together, we will work to

highlight the good in every neighbour-

hood, in every building, and in every

tenant. Furthermore, together, we will

also preserve the energy that is created

by so many of us working together to

make something better.

I am looking forward to meeting

the year 2012 with all of the exciting

projects that are already underway.

Among other things in this magazine,

you can read about the beautiful green

Sätra, about life in Gävle Strand, and

about some of the residents of Gävle

whose living environments are happily

and proudly managed by us.

Happy reading!

Cathrine Holgersson, Managing Director

“We will continue to look after your homes in a good way”

2011 | 3

Content

17

3

24

6 Gavlegårdarna – winning awards again!

Gavlegårdarna won several awards for its

work again during 2011

7 Extremely strong brand

Gavlegårdarna takes a look at its brand

8 Best caretakers

We talked to Johan and Patrik

9 Football means solidarity

Popular football school for happy children

10 Beautiful green Sätra

District renewal is getting underway

in eastern Sätra

17 GIF’s away game

The entire squad came to Sätra

20 Appreciated housing school

Role-playing gives

eye-opening experiences

21 The circus came to town

Candyfl oss and clowns

attracted large audiences

7

28

4 | 2011

36

10

3027

42 22

22 Guided tour of Läkerolen

Young people from all over Gävle

met Brynäs

24 Maria has moved house

She really likes her fi rst pad

27 New website for students

Simpler, easier, and more convenient

for everyone

28 Touching down in Gävle Strand

A new weekday is shaped in

Gävle’s newest area

34 Yet another white winter

Gavlegårdarna coped with the snow

35 Remote monitoring

New technology gives

environmental benefi ts

36 This is where the questions come

The Customer Centre takes care of

everyone and everything

40 New supporters in the arena

Many families saw Brynäs beat Frölunda

41 New information channels

More and more tenants are

chatting with Gavlegårdarna

42 A visionary departs

Jan Hugg summarises his years as MD

46 Security and solidarity

Keywords that create a sense

of wellbeing

47 Looking to the future

We look forward to 2012

2011 | 5

Branschindex (literally “Branch

Index”) is a measurement of

Sweden’s real estate and property

management companies’ market

sector, carried out on the initiative

of AktivBo and the magazine

Fastighetsnytt. In September,

Gavlegårdarna’s Head of the

Environment and Quality, Mats

Åström, and Head of Administra-

tion, Niclas Lind, were both on

the podium in the Business Arena

to receive the annual prize awar-

ded to the winner of the country’s

best management quality.

“It’s really wonderful that we

won the award,” said Mats, “And

it’s proof that our efforts are

producing the right results.”

In February, it was time for

prize giving again. This time, the

awards were for Sweden’s best

landlords, announced during

AktivBo’s Benchmark Event.

The awards are made to those

companies who have made the

Gavlegårdarna is working on being better

biggest improvement in their level

of service, compared to previous

results, as well as to the compa-

nies with the best overall results

in the categories Service, Product,

and Profi le. Gavlegårdarna won in

the categories Service and Profi le.

“The awards for Best Branch

Index and Best Service Index

are the result of all of our employ-

ees having an understanding of the

wishes and requirements of our

tenants,” said Mats.

Customer Satisfaction

Index – the guiding

principle at work

Mats also pointed out that an-

other success factor lies in Gavle-

gårdarna working actively with the

results of the annual Customer

Satisfaction Index, a survey that

is carried out among the tenants

every year. When the year’s

results arrive, all of the employees

are called to a meeting where the

results are discussed. After this,

work commences on analysing

and prioritising improvement

measures across all areas.

“The customer survey shows

our results right down to individual

stairwell level, so we have mana-

geable material to work with, and

this is a very important tempera-

ture gauge for us,” said Mats.

The areas where the

Customer Satisfaction Index

has shown the greatest increase

concern security issues. Major

investments have been made in,

among other things, more secure

locks, so-called tags for entrance

and storage area doors, more

secure basement storage areas,

presence-controlled lighting in pu-

blic areas, and improved outdoor

lighting all around the area.

“It is clear from the survey

that customer satisfaction is

closely related to the perception

of security,” said Mats.

There were also major

improvements to be seen in the

Customer Satisfaction Index in the

category Clean & Tidy. Gavlegår-

darna has been working from the

long-term perspective on both

large and small measures. Among

other things, these have included

This is the annual survey of

customer satisfaction. The

result is the basis for the

priorities set out in the annual

business plan. Every year, the

questionnaire is sent to half

of the tenants, around 7,500

households, and the response

rate is usually somewhere

around 55 per cent. The

questions are divided into dif-

ferent categories, such as level

of service, safety and security,

and the indoor and outdoor

environment.

Branch Index

This measurement is carried

out by AktivBo and Fastig-

hetsnytt. The responses from

the tenants of the participa-

ting companies are collected

via an independent customer

survey organisation and

reported in a national index

every year. This index is based

on the tenants’ experience of

services and policies. In total,

8,000 housing tenants from all

over Sweden respond to the

survey.

Customer Crystal Vase

For this prize, private and

municipal housing companies

compete in service and quali-

ty. The winner is the company

where the most tenants vote

for their landlord as being the

best in Sweden! The winners

are selected from among

the roughly 60 large and

medium-sized companies that

were surveyed last year in col-

laboration with AktivBo.

“It’s really wonderful that we won the award, and it’s proof that our efforts are producing the right results”

Customer

Satisfaction Index

better public procurement and

more demands for quality.

“We are now placing greater

demands on ourselves and on

our cleaning contractors, but we

have also carried out some small

actions that improve everyday life,

such as putting up more litter bins

and making sure that there are

cleaning materials in the laundry

rooms,” Mats added.

6 | 2011

Among over a hundred other contributions from

schools and youth clubs from around the whole of

Gävle, it was fi ve guys from the Nordost district who

drew the longest straw. They quite simply designed the

best fl ag for GIF’s elite football team, and as a prize they

got to meet all of the players.

“It was great! We ate with them at the offi ce and I sat next to both of

my idols, Erik Törnros and Erik Larsson. We talked about football and

stuff,” said Amar Jabbar, 12, who lives in Nordost and plays football

himself.

So do his four pals – Linus Kling, Sharif Abdi, Ali Jabbar, and Ahmed

Fdow – all of whom were in the group that created the winning fl ag.

“We drew a red heart with a 3D shadow behind it. All of this

shows our love of GIF. We go to watch every match at Strömvallen,”

said Amar Jabbar.

“We sent our fl ag in hoping they would sign it. It turned out

brilliantly. And then we got the autographs ourselves when we met

up with the team – that was even better!”

They made the best-looking fl ag

Gavlegårdarna – a well-known brand in Gävle

Gevalia, Brynäs, Korsnäs, Furuvik – they are all

famous brands that are well-anchored in Gävle’s

history. Gavlegårdarna is proud that it too qualifi es

onto the celebrity list. The result of the recent brand

survey shows that 100 per cent of those questioned

were aware of Gavlegårdarna.

“Ten years had passed since the last such sur-

vey, so it was high time to examine our brand

again,” said Kristina Isacson, Marketing Manager

at Gavlegårdarna.

Comprehensive survey The survey was comprehensive; a total of 900

people completed an online questionnaire and,

in addition to this, we also carried out further

interviews with focus groups.

Furthermore, the employees at Gavlegår-

darna had to answer the same questions, in order

to see how the two perceptions of our brand compared with each

other.

“By asking a mixture of ambassadors, customers, members

of the general public, and employees of Gavlegårdarna, a statisti-

cal cross-section was created from which it is easier to draw the

correct conclusions and continue working on the right issues,” said

Kristina.

Service and maintenance in focusThe results, compiled by the consulting fi rm Brand Clinic, show that

Gavlegårdarna is an extremely strong brand. Good and fast service,

as well as high quality maintenance and attention, are the areas to

which Gavlegårdarna’s tenants give top priority, and they are also

areas where the company gets good marks.

When the people of Gävle themselves are looking to fi nd a

fl at, they think it is particularly important that the housing company

they use is well known and has a good reputation, according to the

brand survey.

“It is reassuring to know that we are so well-known

in Gävle, and that our overall results are so good

across the board,” said Kristina.

r

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2011 | 7

During 2011, the magazine Hem & Hyra invited

its readers to nominate the best caretakers in

the Gävle-Dala region. A large number of emails,

letters and postcards were sent to the editor, all

praising nice caretakers who were always around

to help. Two of those nominated work for

Gavlegårdarna. We gave them a call to offer

our congratulations.

… and congratulations on

your fi ne nomination. You

are quick, cheerful, friendly, fun,

and the best caretaker there is,

say those who voted.

“Yes, great, unbelievable.

There were two neighbours here

who revealed that they nomina-

ted me, and it felt great. With

appreciation like that, you know

you are doing a good job.”

How does a typical day in

Sätra look for you?

“The most common jobs involve

some sort of repair. Sätra is a

part of the Million Homes Pro-

gramme, where district renewal

is now underway, but many

And you have to be on-call

for administration work too?

“Every ninth week, I am respon-

sible for half of Gävle during a

whole week. A lot of things can

happen then, such as blocked

sewers in the basement or main

fuses that have blown. I can still

wear comfortable trousers at

home then but, if I go out shop-

ping for example, I’ve learnt that

it’s a good idea to have my work

clothes on.”

What’s the best part of the job?

“The contact with the tenants,

chatting with them and joking a

NAME: Patrik Åström

AGE: 41

YEARS AT GAVLEGÅRDARNA: 25

JOB: Taking care of

300 fl ats and terraces

houses at Fältspats and

Ulvsätersvägen in Sätra

… did you know that you had been

nominated for best caretaker?

“When they called me from the magazine

Hem & Hyra, I thought they were joking.

It was a great surprise and it made me so

happy. I know now that it was a couple who

nominated me; they are tenants who are

always interested and involved. They help all

the time by keeping an extra eye open in the

area and contacting me if there’s anything

wrong – even regarding issues that don’t just

relate to them.”

Did those of you who were nominated

win any prizes?

“Everyone who was nominated, and those

who nominated us, received a Triss scratch

card. No offi cial winner was declared. But

being nominated was the thing; it was an

incredible honour.”

Weren’t you rather young when you

started at Gavlegårdarna?

“I moved here from Söderhamn to study,

and I applied for a summer job as a careta-

ker. I was happy from day one with both my

job and the company. They look after their

employees, and there is a great atmosphere

among us. I’ve stayed at Gavlegårdarna becau-

se it’s a developing company to work for. As a

caretaker, you get a lot out of going to work.”

Do you get on well with your tenants?

“Of course. Most of them are happy, positive,

and committed. Even when something has

broken or isn’t working properly.”

homes are starting to become

worn. It’s often relatively minor

things, such as faulty taps, blocked

drains or toilets, broken light

switches, extractor fan problems,

and so on.”

What else does your job

involve, apart from small

emergencies?

“We have to carry out fl at

inspections when people move

out, and we are responsible for

the common areas, both indoors

and outdoors, looking good. In

the winter we often have to clear

the snow away, and I’ll be on-call

for that job every third weekend

during that period.”

Hi Patrik ...

Hi Johan ...

NAME: Johan Liljemark

AGE: 28

YEARS AT GAVLEGÅRDARNA: 6JOB: Taking care of 300 fl ats,

student fl ats, and commercial

properties in Söder in Gävle

bit. It’s also good to be able to

work outdoors and to be able to

plan the days quite freely.”

Do you know the tenants

well?

Two weeks ago, the daughter

of one of my tenants called to

report a problem with a radiator.

The line went dead before she

had introduced herself, but I

recognised the accent and went

round there. Then they were a

little surprised when I suddenly

rang the doorbell. So the answer

is yes, I know my tenants pretty

well by now.”

8 | 2011

A football school for everyone

In 2011, all of the children who applied for a place

at the football school, run by Brynäs IF Football

Club and Gavlegårdarna, for children aged 7 to 11,

got a place, even though interest was huge. It will

be time for football school again in July 2012.

Zlatan och Messi are common favourites

with many of the participants at the football

school. However, they all have very different

levels of experience of football themselves.

Some have played quite a lot, while for

others it’s a new sport, and that’s how it

should be. When Gavlegårdarna, together

with Brynäs IF Football Club, invites children

between the ages of seven and eleven to

a one-week football school, everyone is of

course very welcome.

The idea here is that Gavlegårdarna spon-

sors Brynäs IF Football Club who, in turn,

repay this favour by setting themselves up as

a host each year and inviting 25 children to

football school.

“The set up for the football school is

actually the forerunner of the agreements

we have in place today with large clubs and

associations, even at the elite level, such as

Brynäs Hockey Club and GIF Football Club,”

said Dick Lantz. “Our sponsorship agreements

should always give something back that will be

of benefi t the tenants,” he added.

Summer Week at Måsberget sports centre

is free for participants, who also receive daily

refreshments, as well as a t-shirt and water

bottle. In addition to this comes, of course,

the football school, where the leaders for 2011

courses proved to be very popular.

“We have the best leaders in the whole

universe,” said Calle Lindberg Andersson, for

example, when journalists from Gefl e Dagblad

paid a visit to Måsberget.

Dick Lantz told us that the football school

gets praise from many quarters.

“Brynäs can clearly see that the school

catches children who are then channelled

into football. Furthermore, we get a lot of

positive reactions from their parents; they

see this as a genuine benefi t for our tenants.”

He also pointed out that there are many

cases where children who participate in the

football school later choose something else

other than football.

“The important thing is that they disco-

ver how much fun it is to be active in a club.

We are really happy if we manage to get to

those children who have not yet chosen their

activity, in order to show them how great it is

to be part of the club.

2011 | 9

This is a much-loved part of the city where many residents of Gävle grew up.

The houses were built of high-quality materials, all close to the forest and the

big meadows. But, alas, Sätra is a well-worn district today. A lot of people have

been waiting eagerly for this white-coloured area to become green, not to

mention nice again. Now, at last, renewal work is starting in eastern Sätra.

10 | 2011

2011 | 11

ätra is a big suburb. Almost 10,000

people live here, a number that is com-

parable to the entire population of the

Municipality of Hofors. You can fi nd

fl ats, terraced houses, and detached

houses here, as well as a functioning

suburban centre with everything from

a grocery store to a health centre.

“We are all basically agreed on the

fundamental quality of Sätra. This is where many residents of Gävle

grew up and were happy,” said Bo Bäckström, Technical Manager at

Gavlegårdarna.

“But now there has, in many ways, been a generation shift.

Those who built a house here when the area was new are now sel-

ling their houses and new people are moving in. These new times

place new demands on the whole of Sätra; we have to adapt to the

requirements of today,” he continued.

So, now at last it’s Sätra’s turn in the queue. The district renewal

process has already begun, and there are several parts to it.

“We are working on anything that increases the perceptions of

safety and well-being for our tenants. Renovating the buildings is one

part, but the outdoor environment and the social programmes are at

least as important. This is something we have learned very clearly

after all of our work in the Öster district,” said Bo Bäckström.

According to Gavlegårdarna’s vision, the district renewal in

Sätra will be carried out with a focus on sustainability from several

perspectives.

“We are going to have a balance between aesthetics, economy,

ecology and sociology. This means that the company takes into ac-

count everything from the exterior of the buildings to the surroun-

ding nature and green areas, as well as the wishes of the tenants.

And in the end, of course, we must fi nd that

we have taken a step in the right direc-

tion economically – these buildings are, for

example, not built to fulfi l today’s require-

ments in terms of energy consumption,” said

Bo Bäckström.

In order for everything to fi t together,

many different stakeholders are involved, not least the municipality,

which owns much of the public land there.

“We are also talking to more tenants than just our own. If the

district is going to function properly on a social level, their opinions

are equally important,” said Bo Bäckström.

“It’s the tenants themselves who will have to get involved in the decision-making process here, using their influence so that we make the right decisions”

12 | 2011

“There are many ideas because

Sätra has such enormous potential. We

have the small river, Tickselbäcken,

fl owing through the whole district,

and we have the big meadows too.

In the past, these have been used by

people playing rounders, football, and

so on. Today, people might quite like

to have something else there; walking

trails, allotment gardens, and so on.

It’s the tenants themselves who will

have to get involved in the decision-

making process here, using their

infl uence so that we make the right

decisions,” he continued.

The administrators Anders Söder-

blom and Elisabeth Lindberg were stan-

ding between the tower blocks on Glaci-

ärvägen. This is where Gavlegårdarna’s

district renewal will get started. There

are both ordinary tenants and students

living in the three properties that

currently stand on Pinnmovägen and

Glaciärvägen. Some of the buildings

nearby have already been renovated, and

the differences are striking.

“This whole district used to look

so white, but parts of it look rather grey

these days,” said Anders Söderblom.

“And, of course, it’s the same inside the

buildings. It’s not fun showing the fl ats

today; for example, the bathrooms are

extremely worn. Both we and the tenants

have really been longing for this.”

Elisabeth Lindberg, an adminis-

trator in just this eastern side of Sätra,

nodded meaningfully.

“I’ve been waiting for ages,” she

said with a laugh. “Unfortunately, a lot

of tenants have almost given up hope

because everything has dragged on for

so long. First of all Öster took much

longer than expected, and then new

legislation was introduced regarding

public housing, which meant we had

to put the brakes on for a while. But

hopefully things will improve once

we get started, when people see that

something is actually happening.”

Sätra – the white-coloured districtSätra was built on land that was covered

with woods and meadows and belonged

to the old farming community of the

same name. An architectural competi-

tion was announced in 1956, and it was

won by Höjer & Ljungqvist, today called

Origo Arkitekter, from Stockholm. The

location of the buildings in parkland and

traffi c separation were central ideas of

their proposals. So was the so-called

ABC-idea of building a satellite city to the

city centre, with workplaces, housing and

the centre all integrated. The traffi c se-

paration, with a ring road around the city

and one-way streets into the car parks,

is known as SCAFT and is designed so

that pedestrians and cyclists don’t have

to mix with traffi c. Sätra is also a district

of contrasts, where fl at, green spaces are

mixed with tall buildings and trees.

Elisabeth Lindberg and Anders Söderblom are responsible for almost a thousand homes each.

They are both very happy in their roles as administrators in Sätra – especially now that the

district renewal is underway.

Despite the lengthy start-up period

for the renewal process, Anders’ and

Elizabeth’s tenants are quite happy in

Sätra. There has been a lot of moving

in and out over the years, but at the

moment there is hardly a single vacant

fl at in the area.

“It’s a bit tarnished here and there,

but this district still has some amazing

qualities. Enormous green areas, its

proximity to the city centre, nature

trails and ski trails. And you can cycle

into the city in just ten minutes – it’s

downhill, so you don’t even have to

pedal!” said Anders Söderblom.

“We are really hoping for a fresh

start in the whole of Sätra.”

We walked down to the Sätra

meadows, past the centre and over

the rippling waters of Tickselbäcken.

The character of the area changes

upon arrival at the terraced housing on

Fältspatsvägen, but the green areas and

the absence of traffi c are still recogni-

2011 | 13

sable from the tower blocks and laminated buildings to the east. The

fl ats here are on the same level, with a small back garden and a green

patch at the front.

The tenants usually meet up in the pavilion in the centre of the

area here, among other things to eat fermented herring together.

“A lot of elderly people live here. Because the buildings are small

and on just the one level, they can stay here for a long time,” said

Anders Söderblom.

On the way back towards the centre is the newly renovated

Forellplan, which has now got a new neighbour in the form of an

equally big, newly built, retirement home, the biggest in Gävle.

Several of the tenants were sitting down at the back, enjoying the

unusually warm spring sunshine.

We continued round the centre and stopped in front of the scaf-

folding at Sicksackvägen 34.

“People will start moving in here next spring,” said Elisabeth

Lindberg, “and many of them are already calling us with questions.”

Curiosity about what will be the fi rst sheltered housing in Gävle

is, understandably, at a high level. The property formerly housed

social services and a health centre; now it is being transformed into

modern accommodation, complete with terraces and a community

hall on the ground fl oor and a conservatory and other common areas

on the top fl oor.

“This building will have 62 fl ats, half of which will be housing

for the over-55s. The other half will be sheltered housing, by which

we mean you must be over 70 before you can move in and that we

will have staff assigned to that area,” said Ulf Gräll, construction

manager at Sicksackvägen 34.

“The staff here will not be healthcare professionals, but more

of a resource. The tenants might want to eat together, go out on an

excursion, or simply take a walk. It’s about more than just security,

even if we are in discussion with the Elderly Care Services about

what form it should all take,” he continued.

“We’ve never done anything quite like this before, so it will be

very interesting to see how well it’s received.”

The old recreation centre at Sicksackvägen 34 has a huge graf-

fi ti painting on its facade. A large sun and text about the summer-

time liven up the grey outdoor environment there, where the lawns

have not yet woken up for the spring.

From behind the door came the smell of caulifl ower soup. Siv

Lind who, after twenty-fi ve years in healthcare is now a so-called

phase-3er, spends her days at the Paletten meeting place for tenants

in east Sätra. People here can visit their own fl ea market, or stop

ABF’s Carola Leijding is a project leader based

at Paletten. There is a meeting place for tenants

here too, with lots of activities. The fl ea market

attracts plenty of tenants looking for bargains

every day.

Lunch at Paletten on this day consisted of

Siv Lind’s caulifl ower soup. After twenty-fi ve

years in healthcare, she is now an unemployed

63-year-old who loves to help with anything

that needs doing.

14 | 2011

for a coffee break. Rooms here are

hired by a lot of clubs and associations,

ranging from a pensioners’ zither club

to a dog-owners’ club, or to the Soma-

lian Association that offers help with

homework in the afternoons.

Hans Helmersson, Head of Gavle-

gårdarna’s Social Living projects in all

districts, was making a spontaneous

visit here on this day to eat lunch.

“We want to have sustainability in

everything we do, both economically

and ecologically. But social sustaina-

bility – that people are happy and are

motivated to take responsibility for

own their living environment – is an

essential foundation if we are to suc-

ceed with everything else,” he said.

“We had enormous commitment

in Öster; here, it’s gone a little more

slowly. But I think that’s because of

the delays in the construction projects

– people lost their enthusiasm. But I’m

sure that will turn around now, when

we get started,” he continued.

Carola Leijding, project leader

for the activities at Paletten, agreed.

“It’s been diffi cult for us to reach

those tenants who live in our project

area here in eastern Sätra. Very often

we have more people from the outer

suburbs, or even from the centre, than

from here,” she said.

“At the same time, we can see that

those activities that come from the

tenants themselves are extremely po-

pular. We have “Saturdays with Ibbe”,

where a local man has lots of children

from round here getting actively in-

volved. It’s the same thing with Elena

who lives next door. Her Sundays for

children are always well attended,

even though there is a complete ban on

computers,” continued Carola, smiling.

“With a bit of luck, we can get

resources to start up some reach out

activities, perhaps with the help of an

interpreter. So that we can really reach

the people who actually live here.” �

What is Gavle-gårdarna doing in Östra Sätra right now?

• At the moment the renovation of three

blocks of fl ats on Pinnmovägen and

Glaciärvägen is out for tender. These

buildings, with 75 fl ats, are to be com-

pletely renovated both inside and out.

This work will include replacing the

downpipes and the ventilation systems,

the installation of lifts, completely new

bathrooms and facades, and much

more. Furthermore, the buildings will

also be far more energy effi cient.

• The outdoor areas are to be renewed,

just as they have been to the south

side of Sicksackvägen.

• Together with the Municipality of

Gävle, we are currently looking at the

area around Tickselbäcken. The fi rst

step must involve clearing, so that

people can walk there and see the re-

fl ective surface of the water. However,

we must also take into account the fact

that a number of rare animal species

thrive alongside the river here.

• An area down from the buildings is

being prepared for a dozen or so al-

lotments for so-called city gardening.

Two meetings have been arranged,

and there is some interest among the

tenants there.

• The Social Living projects mean that

Gavlegårdarna arranges small local

meetings where the tenants can come

and have their say and become more

involved themselves. These meetings

might be about the development

of Sätra meadows, better lighting,

better outdoor areas or footpaths,

playgrounds and barbecue areas, and

so on.

• The number of car parking spaces is

being checked, in order to see how

many are needed and which of them, if

any, could be used for other things.

• Local transport communication is being

reviewed. How many people cycle, and

where do they cycle to? Do we need a

cycling school or a carpool?

• The rebuilding of the property at Sick-

sackvägen 34 into combined sheltered

accommodation and housing for the

over-55s has begun. We expect people

to start moving in during May 2013.

Sindy Hernandez, Victoria Benavides, Nicole Björklund and Amanda Nilsson

attend Stora Sätra School and Prolympia. They love their Sätra, where

it doesn’t matter that the buildings are worn because “the people are so good.”

2011 | 15

Sätra, a national area of interest for heritage protection

Just to the right scale, characteristic of its period, and well

thought-out.

Sätra has been classifi ed by the National Heritage Board

as an area of national interest, which means that the major

structural changes in the district must always be reviewed by

the county administrative board – a body which also has the

right to overrule decisions. Klara Wirdby, acting Head of the

county administrative board in Gävleborg, has a longstanding

relationship with Sätra and she is the one who has ensured

that the area’s assets will be protected.

“Of course we are going to create good, modern hou-

sing for the tenants, but the changes can be made with re-

spect and consideration. Large parts of Sätra were carefully

built with quality materials. Gavlegårdarna has also shown

that the company would like to preserve everything that has

value,” said Klara Wirdby.

“All Swedish housing companies will sooner or later get

to this crossroads, where entire districts from this era have

to be renovated. It would be great if we could set a good

example of how the various interested parties can work

together for the benefi t of society at large. I hope that

we can enlist the services of an innovative, creative

architect for the district renewal project in Sätra,”

she said.

13

1. Boendemiljö

ILLUSTRATIONSPLAN, Del av Sätra ängarna. Skala 1:1000 A3

NORR

50 m

16 | 2011

Pelle Olsson, manager of GIF Football Club, brought more or less the entire

squad with him when the club visited the Träffen youth centre in Sätra, one rainy

evening in August, something that the youngsters there had not been expecting.

“It was really great that they came to us instead of us going to them. It was down

to earth and tremendous fun,” said several of the participants afterwards.

Pelle Olsson introduced all the players to the audience and related some of

their individual histories. The young people at Träffen even got to meet the latest

addition to the squad, Simon Lundevall, who had arrived in Gävle and at GIF

just that day.

“Well, I like it here so far. But then, I only arrived for lunch!” said Simon,

amid much laughter.

Jonathan Hellström, GIF’s youngest ever fi rst team debutant, talked openly

about how it feels to be off the fi eld with a long-term injury.

“I’d been away completely for more or less two seasons. It was in the news-

papers that my career was over, but I just kept thinking, ‘No, I haven’t played my

best matches yet!’ It is possible to come back – I’m a real-life example of that.”

Zakaria Abdullai talked a lot about the differences between playing football

in Sweden and playing in Ghana where he was born.

When Träffen met GIF

Football is by far the biggest sport

in the Sätra district. This explains

why everyone wanted to be there

and listen when Gefl e IF’s fi rst-

team squad, in partnership with

Gavlegårdarna, visited the Träffen

youth centre.

“It was great! I’ve never been that

close to the players before,” said

Hawbir Mahumudi, 16.

2011 | 17

Mohammed Abdi Addala, 15, Diler Hammad, 12, and

Shamso Din, 14, play football every day after school. The

new artifi cial grass pitch behind the youth centre, Träffen,

is therefore a welcome addition to their everyday lives.

In the game against GIF’s fi rst team, the last two on the

list above both scored a goal!

“We have a lot of talented players, but it’s extremely diffi cult to break th-

rough. You have to ‘make it happen’ yourself,” said Zakaria, with the audience

listening attentively.

Interest in football is huge among children and young people in Sätra. No

other sport comes close to competing with football there.

“Football is an international language, and is therefore superb for purposes of

integration. You play as part of a team, no matter who you are,” said Jesse Brodin,

Head of the Träffen youth centre in Sätra.

To their great joy, the youngsters in the audience

were then thrown into the football match that followed

GIF’s presentation. Even though the August evening

had become completely dark, they all went out onto the

brand new artifi cial grass pitch behind Träffen. There

was nothing wrong with their competitive spirit either, especially as they now had

the chance to play against a team from Sweden’s top fl ight.

The match ended 3–2 to Sätra’s youngsters, perhaps partly because GIF were wit-

hout their regular goalkeeper and had therefore put midfi elder Jonas Lantto in goal!

“I’ve never been that close to them before;

it was great!”

M

S

n

“We have a lot of talented

rough. You have to ‘make it h

18 | 2011

It was a jubilant group of youngsters that thanked their role models after the

match ended.

“That was a great evening! I’m hoping to be a footballer, and I learnt a lot of

things tonight,” said Mohammed Abdi Addala, 15.

“I play football every day after school. Now

I’m going to apply to go to Borgarskolan to go

further with social studies, focussing on sports,

because then I’ll have Pelle Olsson as a coach

during school time,” he continued with a smile.

Hawbir Mahumudi is already a student on

that course, and furthermore is also playing

GIF’s junior team, the under-17s.

“The teachers are always emphasising how important it is to focus on school-

work too. There is, after all, the possibility that we won’t make it as footballers,”

he said.

Hawbir went on to praise the evening with GIF’s fi rst team.

“I’ve seen them a few times, but never been that close to them before;

it was great!” �

Amin Haidari and Hawbir Mahumudi are talented

footballers who live in Sätra. They were more than

just pleased to meet GIF’s fi rst-team squad and hear

their stories. “That was just awesome!" they said.

“The teachers are always emphasising how important it is to focus on schoolwork too”

2011 | 19

Gavlegårdarna is con-

vinced that informa-

tion and transparency

create trust and help to

bridge misunderstandings. Therefore,

since 2009, the company has been

running a “boskola” (literally a “school

in how one should live”) for newly-

arrived immigrants.

Once a month, a group of 6–15

people from one stairwell gets together

to learn more about living in a rented

fl at. The local Immigrant Centre now

includes this as a part of their educa-

tion package. Some of the participants

are completely new in Sweden so there

are always interpreters at the meetings.

The majority of the participants are

from Somalia or the Arab world.

“Boskolan is very much apprecia-

ted by the participants. Because we use

theatrical methods to explain things, it

becomes easier for them to absorb the

information,” said Ann-Sofi e Thorn-

berg, an administrator at Gavlegår-

darna in Andersberg.

The pedagogy is all about il-

lustrating different scenarios through

Boskola gives eye-opening experience

role-play. For example, the participants

might go up to a fl at where we then

pretend a fi re has broken out. If there

is a child’s pushchair in the stairwell,

Gavlegårdarna’s employees show what

could happen.

“It’s very often a real eye-opener

for the participants; suddenly they

understand why we have these rules,”

said Ann-Sofi e.

Boskolan has given a great deal

back to Gavlegårdarna. Transparency

and trust are created during these mee-

tings, making it both easier and more

likely that the tenants will respond

to customer surveys and contribute

towards improvements in the future.

“If you come from an undemo-

cratic country, there is a lot of anxiety

attached to expressing an opinion.

Many of the participants at boskolan

have told us that they had previously

seen Gavlegårdarna as a policeman,

and that they hadn’t dared to tell us

what they were thinking for fear of

being evicted. After boskolan, they

understand our position and they dare

to be open,” concluded Ann-Sofi e. �

The distance separating, for example, Somalia and

Sweden is not only geographical. There are also major

cultural differences in how people actually live.

“It’s very often a real eye-opener

for the participants; suddenly they

understand why we have these rules,”

said Ann-Sofi e.

20 | 2011

When the Circus Brazil Jack raises its big top next to the trotting track, then the real summer has fi nally arrived.

The hundred tenants from Nordost and Öster who got tickets to one of the performances were really happy.

Many expectant children, along with their parents, gathered together by the buses that would take them to the

show and dreamed about everything from acrobats and clowns to popcorn and candyfl oss.

We’re going to the circus! There was tremendous happiness when 100 of Gavlegårdarna’s tenants

from Nordost and Öster got together to go and see the circus that had come to town.

Hedda was four years old, although she

would soon be fi ve. She had been to the

circus before, when she saw the horses.

“But, actually, I can’t believe this!” she said.

“We've been to the circus before, but we

want to see animals and clowns again!”

cried the children from Nordost and

Öster in unison.

The circus is in town!

2011 | 21

At the heart of Brynäs IFNot too many people have seen Läkerol Arena from more aspects than the stands. During the

season, Gavlegårdarna invited its tenants to come along and join them at the heart of Brynas IF.

And, naturally, there was a lot of interest.

Se Several of the club’s

own junior players have

taken their place in the

fi rst team at Brynäs

during the last few seasons. This is

something that has obviously contribu-

ted to the increased interest in the club

among children and young people.

When Gavlegårdarna invited

young people on a study visit to

Läkerol Arena during the winter, the

demand was enormous. Over fi fty

people took part on each occasion and

the reactions were not slow in coming.

“It was fantastic to see how it looks

behind the scenes. You don’t think it’s

that big until then,” said 12-year-old Sina

Khajavi, a hockey player at IK Sätra.

“I had been looking forward to

seeing the dressing room, and I really

didn’t think it would be as nice as it

was,” said Khado Jaliljan, 18.

The study visits started with a tour

of the stadium’s interior. The groups

went up to the fourth fl oor where the

press and television people have their

places, they went and looked at the

team’s gym, the dressing rooms, and

the area where the players hang around

before the game.

On every study visit, there were

also youth leaders and players on hand

to talk about how it is to be part of a

team, and the demands placed on the

players themselves. The team captain

from JVM, Johan Larsson, and the

forward from Gävle, Joakim Rhodin,

were just two of the players who par-

ticipated in the meetings. Two former

Brynäs players, Ove Molin and Niklas

Gällstedt, who today both work with

developing future talent in the under-

16s squad, were also much appreciated.

“You must eat and sleep properly if

you want to train with us, but you also

have to keep up with your schoolwork.

Anyone who neglects their studies

can’t stay in the team,” said Niklas

Gällstedt, which made a lot of the

young participating sigh loudly.

There is a lot of competition; it’s

extremely hard to break through.

There are so many people today who

are willing to make sacrifi ces and work

hard. The road to reach the level of an

elite player is much longer than most

people can even imagine. The ones

with the greatest chance are those that

want it the most,” said Ove Molin.

The leaders also talked about the

importance of social skills for those

who want to be part of a team.

“It’s important to be nice even

when you’re not actually playing.

We talk a lot about how to behave

towards each other,” said Ove Mo-

lin, which got a lot of reaction from

the participants.

“Wow, is it really that tough? Can

you use moist snuff? Do you really

watch all the younger players in order to

fi nd the best? And what do you do with

those that don’t quite make it then?”

were just a few of the comments.

“Even if you don’t make it to the

top, you can get a lot of positives out

of it and you will have had a lot of fun

along the way. We usually say that we

really think you will become a better

person,” said Niklas Gällstedt. �

“Wow, is it really that tough?”

22 | 2011

Hawraz Wrya, Khado Jaliljan, Hazhar Hamzeh

Nezhad and Konstantin Borodavka are footbal-

lers, and they all commend the simplicity of their

sport.

“Sure, I usually go to hockey matches and

I am an ambassador for Brynäs, but football is

something else,” said Hawraz, 17.

“Absolutely. A pair of boots is all you need,

and that’s what a pair of shin guards cost,” conti-

nued Khado.

“We have tougher training sessions with more

emphasis on the physical side. Football is both

more tactical and more technical,” said Hazhar.

“But it was really interesting to fi nd out what

hockey is all about, of course,” said Konstantin.

Gavlegårdarna signed a new collaboration agre-

ement with Brynäs IF ahead of the 2011/2012 season. The agreement

includes the clear goal of supporting children and young people out

there in the housing estates, and ensuring they are given the opportu-

nity to experience ice hockey.

200 young people visited the Läkerol Arena for

a guided tour during the season. They met players and youth leaders

who talked to them about team building, values, and how to achieve

their goals. Each of these youngsters was also given a ticket for a home

game. Via direct mail, families with children were also invited to com-

pete for ice hockey tickets during the season. 50 families, a total of 200

people, had the opportunity on four occasions to see ice hockey being

played in the arena. The Brynäs mascot tiger met them with fl ags, and

also a team shirt to the lucky winner (see story on page 40). 2011 | 23

She is 22 years old and has

been working regularly since

she was fi fteen. Today, Maria

Mikaelyan has a permanent job

and has just moved into one

of Gavlegårdarna’s two-room

fl ats in Söder.

24 | 2011

A part from a

really nice,

chatty older

lady on the

fl oor below,

Maria Mikaelyan only has neighbours

of her own age. This might well be be-

cause the fl ats in Söder are well-priced

for their size and standard.

“I’ve compared numbers with my

friends, and my rent per square metre

is much better,” said Maria happily.

She welcomed us into her fl at

with coffee, fruit and biscuits.

Even though she moved in so

recently that her kitchen table

hadn’t yet arrived, it already felt

cosy and snug here. The normal

comforts were all around, from

the fl at-screen television to the

newly purchased sofa divan.

“For me, it’s always been a matter

of course to look after myself. I have

paid for all of the furniture myself,

with no help from home,” she said.

“It’s probably just my way of

confi rming to myself that I can do

stuff. I have this drive to earn my own

money, to fi x things myself, even if I

have to work really hard. One morning

I got up early, took the car to Ikea and

carted everything I’d bought home

on my own. That was when Dad got

angry with me for not asking for help,”

she added, laughing.

This drive has also meant that she

has always had a job – and with it the

chance to fend for herself. After a few

months of studying economics at Da-

larna University College in Borlänge,

she took a break and applied for six

jobs back home – and got all of them!

For the last two years nearly, she has

been working at Xzakt Kundrelation, a

company that takes care of administra-

tion and customer services for other

companies.

“Ever since I was fi fteen, I’ve

always worked a little, here and there,

in various industries. I’ve worked in

shops, and also been in sales for a te-

lemarketing company. That taught me

a lot, especially about myself and the

fact that I actually have the capacity to

succeed,” said Maria Mikaelyan.

“A lot of young people ask them-

selves why they should take certain

jobs that are considered demeaning.

However, it’s my fi rm belief that a job

is a job. As long as you can take

care of yourself, and can there-

fore respect yourself, you have

an independence that gives you

much more self-esteem. Too many

people forget that they lose these

positive aspects if they choose not

to take a job.”

Maria had been looking for

her own fl at for a year, allowing herself

to be picky. She wanted to live a little

way away from the city centre, in a

quiet environment with green areas

where she could walk her dog.

“Plus, of course, I wanted a fl at that

was nice, fresh, and well laid out – which

Maria Mika Mikaelyan has a

theme for each of the rooms

in her fl at. The kitchen is

rustic, the bedroom is shab-

by chic, and the living room

is earthy. “My friends all

have white everywhere, so

I wanted to change things a

bit,” laughed Maria.

“The moment I walked through the door, I really felt that I wanted

to live here”

2011 | 25

26 | 2011

is exactly what I found with this place.

The moment I walked through the door,

I really felt that I wanted to live here.”

For a while, Maria got up at 5

o’clock every morning to keep an eye on

the fl ats that Gavlegårdarna put out on

the Internet each day. When she clicked

to register her interest in the fl at in Sö-

der, she found herself fi rst in line for it.

“I came and looked at it on the

same day,” said Maria, smiling. “And I

immediately said ‘Yes, this is for me’ to

the girl who was living here then.”

She is more than happy with the

help and support she received from

Gavlegårdarna. The worn walls of the

bedroom were wallpapered according

to her wishes, and the doors of the

kitchen cupboards as well as the fl oor

in the bathroom were replaced.

“I decided to wallpaper the living

room myself – well, actually Dad step-

ped in there – but Gavlegårdarna paid

for the materials,” said Maria. “I just

had to go to the shops and buy them.”

“Then I had a few questions about

things that were wrong. The chopping

board in the kitchen was missing, and

I suspected that the hand basin was

leaking. But I just called the local care-

taker, Johan, who answered straigh-

taway. He even sent text messages

leaving information about everything,

absolutely incredible, he must be the

world’s best!” she continued.

The fridge, freezer, and cooker

were all due to be replaced next year

according to Gavlegårdarna’s plans,

but Maria chose to get new ones at the

same time as she moved in.

“It cost 800 Swedish kronor, and

will be on my next rental invoice,” she

said. “I could even pay in instalments

if I had wanted to, which is great

service.”

“Young people can fi nd it hard to

understand that things cost money and

that you have to pay on time. However,

in my job, I’ve seen what can happen if

you start paying late and let things get

out of hand. It’s obvious to me that I

have to do the right thing.” �

* Footnote: The caretaker that Maria

mentioned, Johan Liljemark, was

nominated for caretaker of the year.

You can read more about him on page 8.

Kort om Maria NAME: Arevik Mikaelyan

AGE: 22

LIVES: In a 53m2 fl at with two rooms and a kitchen.

RENT: SEK 4,600 per month.

HAS: A permanent job, a driving licence, her

own fl at.

MOTTO: If you aim for the stars, you don’t just get

to the moon, you also get to the stars. You just

have to know where you’re going.

2011 | 27

New website for student accommodation

Facts about Student Accommodation

• Students now have someone to talk to in terms of student housing. If they would

like to speak to someone face-to-face, the Customer Centre is open every day. In

collaboration with the university, it will also be open in the evenings and at weekends

immediately before the autumn intake.

• During the year 2011, Gavlegårdarna built a website for students at gavlegardarna.

se/student. This is for students to see if there are any vacant fl ats. Applications of

interest in student accommodation can also be left here. The website is connected

to Google Translate, meaning it can be read in many different languages.

• Gavlegårdarna also has its own Facebook page and chat site for students where,

among other things, information is published and questions from the tenants are

answered.

Gavlegårdarna took the decision last year to assume responsibility

for their student housing, a role that had previously been carried

out by the Student Union at the university.

In the past, the Student Union dealt

with all aspects of student accommo-

dation, including the fl ats owned and

managed by Gavlegårdarna.

“We have been studying how the

arrangement is working for a long

time, what was positive and what

wasn’t. Among other things, we carry

out annual surveys among the students

who are renting from us and among

those who are moving out. We could

see in these that there was some uncer-

tainty among the students about who

they should turn to regarding certain

issues, so we now have a vision that

will assure the quality of the entire

system,” said Pia Karlsson, the Head

of Administration at Gavlegårdarna’s

student accommodation.

The previous system involved a

fair bit of double work. For example,

a student could sign up for a fl at at

the Student Union after which the

information was passed on to Gavle-

gårdarna to be entered into the system.

“For instance, we could never see

in real time exactly how many vacant

fl ats we had, there was always a slight

delay,” said Pia.

The decision to transfer all of the

administration surrounding student

accommodation across to Gavlegår-

darna was taken in March 2011. The

decision was also approved politically

by the City Council.

An internal project group at

Gavlegårdarna has since been working

on the development of administrative

procedures and a student website.

“The intake for spring 2012 was

our dress rehearsal,” said Pia. “It was

probably good that we could ‘practice’

a bit at a time when the number of

students moving in and moving out is

smaller than it is in the autumn. That

will be the real test!” she continued.

From the university’s side there

was, of course, some concern about

what the change would mean for the

students, especially at the Interna-

tional Secretariat that looks after the

foreign students who are on their way

to Gävle and where decisions often

have to be made quickly.

“When we had our fi rst evalua-

tion meeting after the spring intake,

everyone on the university’s side was

incredibly pleased,” said Pia, and

continued, “We have also started up

a project group where

we, the university, the

International Secretariat,

and the Student Union

are all going to work

together. Now we can

be sure that everyth-

ing will work in the

autumn as well.” �

It took more than twenty years, but then transformation became a reality. The shabby and

disreputable Alderholmen area became Gävle’s most modern district, with the combined

scents of longing and saltwater in the air. Now another phase is getting underway, where

more houses will be constructed and several parks built. We visited Gävle Strand for a

lightning visit on a plain, ordinary evening.

Gävle Strand has come to life!

Not long ago,

Alderholmen

was a place

fi lled with

doubt. Would

anyone ever

build anything out there? It was a

windy hole, full of concrete, planks

of wood, and old junk. Who on earth

would want to live there?

Now, as we dropped in, on a Thurs-

day in the middle of March 2012, spring

was in the air early. Brynäs were playing

in the quarterfi nals and an air of anticipa-

tion was fi lling the city.

Out in Gävle Strand, the residents

were starting to get home from work.

The skate park was crowded with

children and young people who had

fi nally been able to get their bikes and

skateboards out. Dog owners were

walking alongside Gavleån, gazing out

across the water.

Life in Gävle’s latest district had

already perhaps started to become

everyday, but there was still a burgeo-

ning joy among each and every one of

the people we met. Sure, it was already

great out here, but it was also getting

better every day. The development

had, in effect, just begun.

Inside Wayne’s Coffee, on the

ground fl oor of the twelve-storey buil-

ding, Fullriggaren, sat the happy ow-

ner Ahmet Yilmaz. Of course he had a

freshly brewed coffee in his hand.

“I have three places to take care of,

but this one on “the beach” is the best

by a mile,” he said, smiling. “In the

city, life is rushed and full of stress; out

here it always feels calmer and more

comfortable.”

Ahmet always calls it “the

beach”; och he has done so from the

very start. As early as last summer,

when the area around Fullriggaren

28 | 2011

still looked like a building site with

piles of gravel and skips everywhere,

he still put his sun loungers outside,

facing the water.

“It was full, every day,” he laughed.

“And this year I will have a much big-

ger place, with 70–80 chairs going all

the way down to the water. It’s going

to be great!”

The café has far exceeded ex-

pectations. Ahmet has two full-time

employees, and there will be room for

additional staff in the summer.

“The beach is like a small village

... a luxury village, actually. I like that

too!” he said, and laughed again.

This particular Thursday after-

noon, Ewa-Lill Öjerteg and her friend

Camilla Berggren, each with a salad in

front of them, were sitting by the large

window looking out on Gavleån.

“It’s so peaceful at this place,” said

Camilla Berggren. “You can talk to

each other in peace and quiet when

you meet here. Furthermore, it’s really

easy to park. I’ve actually brought my

colleagues from work out here a few ti-

mes for a coffee break,” she continued.

Neither of them lives in Gävle

Strand, although Camilla said bluntly

that she would defi nitely be looking to

move here if she lived in a fl at.

“If you grew up in Gävle, you

remember what this area used to look

like. It was dark and deserted, and

you didn’t come near the place in the

evenings. Isn’t it great what they have

done with it, given those conditions?”

she said, waving a hand towards the

buildings outside.

“Now people come out here oc-

casionally just to check on everything

that’s happening. I’ve walked around

the area just to see new parts as they

emerge. And the kids love coming

here to play in the playground, it’s

fantastic.”

Sure, there are restaurants in Gävle. But the view from

the Fullriggaren restaurant and sky bar is unique. The

two brothers, Reza and Rozbeh Pour, had been waiting

for the right opportunity – and they found it.

2011 | 29

“It’s good here on the ‘The Beach’, and it’s only

going to get better,” said Ahmet Yilmaz,

laughing. Of the three cafés he runs in Gävle,

all called Waynes Coffee, he is defi nitely

happiest here.”

Mahyar Ansari took the lantern and placed it outside the entrance.

The evening shift at Time, the local convenience store, had just begun

and the doorbell rang regularly as the customers streamed in and out

of the shop. They were buying moist snuff and evening papers, some

spices that had run out at home, or perhaps they just wanted a freshly

made hotdog. All of them spoke cheerfully to Mahyar, who has basi-

cally worked every day since the shop opened last spring.

“I did a thousand hours in July and August,” he said, not looking

in the least bit tired. “When you get as much appreciation as I get,

it keeps you going. Families from both Brynäs and Öster come here,

and they all thank me for opening,” he continued.

The concept has evolved quite a bit since the start. He is a franchi-

see, but he has a lot of options when it comes to selecting the range of

products he sells, and he has taken advantage of this. He has, among

other things, listened to the wishes of his regular customers.

“In the spring, we sell more and more fast food. Then, in the

summer, we’ll have pies and grilled sandwiches. Since last year, I’ve

also realised how many people there are who just love to lie outside

in the sun. Ye gods, I’ve got the biggest ice-cream cabinet that GB

makes, but they still had to come out and fi ll it up three or four

times a week all last summer!” he said.

“This year, we’re going to have a little terrace outside with 20

places. I think we’ll need that,” he continued.

Like many others, he looks very positively upon the develop-

ment of Gävle Strand.

“The investment is long-term from my perspective, of course.

And now I’ve employed a girl full-time, so I can actually have some

time off too – well, sometimes, anyway!”

Merja Kinnunen was sitting on the couch, knitting. Behind her,

the sun was setting over Gävle Bay, and the view from the sixth

fl oor of Fullriggaren was impressive.

“It’s not bad,” said Merja, with a twinkle in her eye. “I just miss

the mountain tops from back home.”

Merja’s house, with its outdoor sauna and big garden, is in Töre,

outside Kalix. However, she met Rickard Pettersson from Gävle in the

pub back home, and now her son has to look after her estate up north.

“It was those eyes ... I couldn’t do anything but follow them

south,” she said, smiling warmly at Rickard.

The man with the eyes smiled back, a little embarrassed. But he

agreed – that’s how it happened. He had indeed met Merja up there

in Töre, never imagining for a moment that the two of them would

shortly be living together in the fl at he had said yes to, just a few

months earlier.

30 | 2011

“I was living in Älvkarleby but

wanted to get back into the city. When

Gavlegårdarna called me about a

fl at with two rooms and a kitchen in

Fullriggaren, I said yes after a couple

of seconds – without even seeing it!”

he said.

He’s normally away during the

week working, so Merja is often alone

in her new city.

“The fi rst week I took out my belo-

ved cabriolet sports car and just drove

around to get to know the area. This

building is visible from everywhere,

so I could always get home again,” she

said, laughing again.

Their love of their common home

and each other is palpable.

“We had both lost our spouses,

and were not really susceptible yet to

meeting someone new. But there was

something special about our meeting, as

well as this fl at. There’s a meaning for

everything, and we saw this as a con-

fi rmation that we were doing the right

thing,” said Merja with a steady look.

They have been happy together

since day one. Their neighbour, Pelle,

has become a friend, and when they sat

on the balcony last summer the family

on the fl oor below suddenly started

playing and singing.

“There was a woman there, she

was singing so beautifully. I wrote a

note with a song request on it, and

Rickard tied it to a measuring tape

so that we could send it down,” said

Merja.

“At fi rst there was silence, but

just a minute later she started singing

again – and it was my song! Absolutely

wonderful,” continued Merja, looking

longingly out across the big balcony

towards the river’s estuary.

“This building is alive, you can feel

it. It looks like France out there, with

all the boats and canals. And yesterday

I found out that the sauna you can rent

in the next block is great. You can even

sit outside and cool off with a beer,”

said Merja with her easy Finnish ac-

cent. “I met a chap in the building who

usually goes there. From now on, I’ll

be joining him.”

Richard laughed. “I think I’ll take

the lift to the piano bar, and wait for

you up there!” he said.

“We’ve had so many visions,

right from the start. How about a

doctor who can take the boat out to

the buildings on the outskirts of the

archipelago? All we have to do is agree

on who’s going to knit the sweater ..!”

Kicki Ceder almost bursts with

happiness when she dreams of the

future. As Head of Gävle’s most mo-

dern health centre, she is both proud

and happy. Not least because she was

involved in the planning, including

everything from recruiting staff to

choosing the fabric for the curtains.

He has worked almost around the clock during his early days at the Time convenience

store. However, the joy of opening his shop, combined with the constant good cheer of

all his regular customers, has meant that Mahyar Ansari has managed. Now he is looking

forward to a summer with a little terrace outside and more fast food on the menu.

Ewa-Lill Öjerteg and Camilla Berggren were taking a salad at

Waynes on an ordinary Thursday evening in March. “I often

come here, it’s just so peaceful somehow,” said Camilla.

2011 | 31

32

“The fi rst time I came here, the

building was basically just scaffolding,

and we went around with hard hats on.

But there has always been this belief,

from the county council’s perspective

too, that it was right to invest here,”

said Kicki.

The decision to open a new health

centre was one way for the public

sector’s primary healthcare system

to tackle the competition from the

private sector, which has opened many

new practices in and around Gävle in

recent years. Furthermore, it had been

a long time since the county council

had invested in a new such centre for

primary healthcare.

“A new area of the city was

enticing, but ultimately I think the

Fullriggaren building was a very

important part of why we came here. It

is a strategic location and just look how

nice it is!” said Kicki Ceder.

We looked in on Camilla Lidberg,

a nurse in the lab. Anyone who comes

in here for a blood test gets a great

view through the large panoramic

windows into the bargain.

“It’s not just the premises that

attract both staff and patients. There’s

something in the air too, the feeling

of a fresh start and new ideas,” said

Camilla.

Kicki agreed. “Absolutely,” she

said. “There was nothing here when

we started. No staff, no routines, not

even any patients!” she said, laughing.

Today, six months after opening,

the situation here is very different. The

employees have been handpicked by

Kicki Ceder herself, and the number

of patients listed is 2,800.

Camilla Lidberg, a nurse, looks

forward to summer in the lab at the

newly opened health centre at Fullrig-

garen. “I don’t think I’ve had a single

patient yet who hasn’t mentioned the

fantastic view,” she said.

The skate park is full, this evening in

March. “It’s good, but far too small here!”

cried the guys on their bikes, in unison.

“We have received a lot of atten-

tion from other county councils who

have been here on study visits. I think

“There is a sense of both security and friendliness in this building,” said Merja

Kinnunen and Rickard Pettersson, who’ve moved in together at Fullriggaren.”

Camilla Lidberg, a nurse, looks forward

to summer in the lab at the newly

opened health centre at Fullriggaren.

“I don’t think I’ve had a single patient

yet who hasn’t mentioned the fantastic

view,” she said.

Camilla Lidberg a nurse looks forward

32 | 2011

33

this building itself was a signifi cant

part of the reason for the politicians

authorising new investment in primary

healthcare,” said Kicki Ceder, Head of

the Fullriggaren Health Centre.

“We have generous opening hours,

until seven every evening, and we have no

fi xed workplaces for people. This means

that we attract employees who are fl exible

and who really want to work with the

patient in focus,” said Kicki Ceder.

The residents of Fullriggaren are

of course registered as patients at the

new health centre. Some of them take

the lift down, still in their slippers,

and the staff appreciate the familiar at-

mosphere while the tenants appreciate

the sense of security very highly.

The balcony runs around the entire

building, and it’s almost scary at dusk

to stand up against the glazing railings

on the twelfth fl oor. It’s a bit chilly out

there, but that doesn’t matter when the

neon lights over Gävle create a skyline

that the majority of the residents of

Gävle have never seen.

The two brothers, Reza and

Rozbeh Pour, lean back comfortably

against the railings and breathe in the

evening air. Very soon now it will be

the opening premiere for the Full-

riggaren restaurant and sky bar, in

premises on the ground fl oor and on

the twelfth fl oor.

“We’ve been waiting for the right

time to fi nd something truly unique,”

said Reza, turning up the collar of his

jacket.

“And now we’re going to show

Gävle who’s boss!” said Rozbeh,

laughing.

The restaurant is going to of-

fer a holistic concept with a wide

choice, from lunch and à la carte on

the ground fl oor to the possibility of

taking the lift up to the top fl oor for a

few well-selected dishes in the lounge

or a drink in the piano bar. The pa-

norama windows of course mean that

there is a magnifi cent view in every

direction.

“We’ve got the best prawn sand-

wiches here, with our hand-peeled

prawns,” said Rozbeh, “Haven’t we?”

he added, as he walked in his socks

over the plush wall-to-wall dark purple

carpet, gesturing to where the grand

piano will one day stand.

It’s the middle of March, and the

opening premiere is scheduled for the

end of April.

“We’ve got bookings all the way

into June,” said Reza Pour, smiling.

Together with his brother, he sees

all the possibilities for the development

of Gävle’s newest area. The restau-

rant will soon have a newly laid green

area right outside the windows on

the ground fl oor, and the next phase

of construction is due to start in just

a few months, with some additional

buildings further out towards the sea.

“There’s been a big change in just

the last few months. People move

around the area in a whole new way

now. It’s great to be able to follow the

fl ow, as everything grows and chan-

ges,” said Reza Pour. “Gävle Strand is

getting better and better, that’s just the

way it is!” �

“We have received a lot of attention from other county councils who have

been here on study visits. I think this building itself was a signifi cant part of

the reason for the politicians authorising new investment in primary health-

care,” said Kicki Ceder, Head of the Fullriggaren Health Centre.

The skate park is full, this eve-

ning in March. “It’s good, but

far too small here!” cried the

guys on their bikes, in unison.

this building itself was a significan

“W

be

th

c

2011 | 33

… Head of Administration at

Gavlegårdarna! How was the

snow in the spring of 2011?

“It was a tough and very challenging

year for our staff. The snow came

early during the autumn of 2010 and

the winter then lasted for a long time.

Between January and April, we had more than

double the amount of work we have to do in a normal year.”

Gävle is known as a snow trap. Are you always on full alert?

Yes, from week 46 until week 13 we are fully set-up for snow

clearing. Both our own staff and our contracted snow removal

companies are on-call to come out and start work.”

How do you prepare for our unpredictable weather?

“Among other things, we subscribe to a weather service

from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute

(SMHI) that gives us very detailed and often dead accurate

information, hour by hour. However, it’s always diffi cult to

predict the weather, and furthermore there can be substantial

differences between our various districts in terms of the weather

they get.”

What are the priorities in the event of a heavy snowfall?

“Firstly, we make sure that any and all emergency exits and

entrances are accessible. After that, we prioritise the car parks,

so that our tenants can get to their vehicles and therefore to

their jobs.”

Where do you put all the snow?

“It’s predominantly left in the residential areas. But during the

winters when there is really heavy snowfall, as was the case

in 2010 and 2011, we take the snow away to a snow tip that is

located by the golf course, just outside Gävle.”

What are your expectations for snow in 2012?

“I’m looking forward to a mild winter in 2012, although for the

children’s sake I hope we get a little snow. Thanks to this past

mild winter, spring work in our housing estates got underway a

month and half earlier than usual, and that’s good.” �

Environmentally certifi ed

Hello Niclas Lind …

No snow chaos at Gavlegårdarna according to ISO 14 001

Environmental issues are not

pursued as a separate project

at Gavlegårdarna, but are ins-

tead embodied in everything

we do every day. Therefore, it

wasn’t a very big step to take,

choosing to get environmental

certifi cation for the company.

“This certifi cation gives

us a stamp of approval for the

quality of our work; it is con-

fi rmation that we are working

on the right things in the right

way,” said Mats Åström, Head

of Environment and Quality at

Gavlegårdarna.

Certifi cation requirements

have changed over a period

of time, with demands having

now been strengthened to

ensure their effectiveness. In-

tertek is the company that has

reviewed and then approved

Gavlegårdarna according to

ISO 14001 standards.

“Twice a year they go

through the entire company

and see how we are following

our policies, our management

systems, and various other

things,” said Mats.

One of Gavlegårdarna’s

environmental objectives is

to eventually stop using fossil

fuels in its vehicles. Every time

a company vehicle is to be re-

placed, the goal is to purchase

something that is better from

an environmental perspective.

At the moment, appropriate

vehicles are powered by

biofuel or electricity.

The environmental “driving licence” Another of Gavlegårdarna’s

environmental goals is to

increase the environmental

knowledge and awareness of

the company’s staff. During

2011, every employee took a

course known as the environ-

mental driving licence. This

was a course in environmental

education that all employ-

ees could perform at their

computer. It took about two

hours and ended with a test.

“Environmental issues

have had a major effect on

our staff, so it’s only natural

they should become im-

portant for the company too,”

said Mats.

34 | 2011

According to regional environ-

mental objectives, Gavlegår-

darna must reduce its energy

consumption by 20 per cent

by the year 2020. However,

the company is aiming higher

than that. As early as 2015,

net carbon dioxide emissions,

linked to electricity produc-

tion, heating and transport,

should be down to zero.

As a part of this, Gavlegårdarna along

with Gävle Energi implemented a pilot

project that got off the ground in 2007.

The idea was to introduce remote

monitoring of the heating systems in

all buildings, in order to improve ef-

fi ciency and at the same time increase

the comfort of the tenants. Five dif-

ferent brands of receiver were tested,

each synonymous with the hardware in

the buildings, and all of them worked.

“It was a deliberate strategy. We

didn’t want to be dependent on an in-

dividual supplier, but rather we wanted

to have the possibility to purchase the

equipment when we needed it,” said

Anders Holmsten, Operations Mana-

ger at Gavlegårdarna.

Remote thermal monitoring gives environmental benefi ts

Facts about remote mon-itoring

• In Gavlegårdarna’s housing

stock, district heating accounts

for 99.8 per cent of all heating.

A total of 97.1 per cent of our

district heating comes from

renewable energy sources,

a unique fi gure in a Swedish

context.

• The remaining 0.2 per cent uses

geothermal solutions.

• In 2000, Gavlegårdarna was still

using 500 cubic metres of oil

each year for heating purposes.

Last year, 2011, the company

used no oil at all.

The benefi ts are numerous with

remote-controlled systems. It is much

easier to adjust and regulate the hea-

ting, so that the indoor temperature

(21 degrees Celsius, as agreed with the

Tenants’ Association) can be maintai-

ned. Additionally, a service technician

no longer needs to get into a car and

drive out to a property to make adjust-

ments, which is benefi cial in terms of

both time and the environment.

In order to meet its environmental

objectives, Gavlegårdarna has also

teamed up with the Swedish Society

for Nature Conservation, which acts

as an auditor on environmental issues

at the company. �

2011 | 35

What happens when the Customer Centre is notifi ed about a problem?

1. A tenant at Brynäs has a

blocked toilet and calls the

Customer Centre.

2.A customer service assis-

tant takes the call reporting

the problem, and asks a number of

questions to narrow it down. Anything

to get a picture of how urgent the pro-

blem is and if the tenant has attempted

to fi x it on his or her own. The assistant

will ask if the local caretaker can enter

the fl at using the master key and if the

tenant would like to be called before-

hand. The assistant will also ask if there

are any pets in the fl at – it has happened

that dogs have let a caretaker into a fl at

but refused to allow him or her to leave

again!

36 | 2011

J

3.The customer service as-

sistant makes a note of all the

information surrounding the problem and

informs the tenant that it should be taken

care of within three days.

4.The problem is entered into the

computer system, and this then

automatically prints out a work order to

the relevant caretaker. If the matter is

urgent, the assistant will ring directly to

the caretaker concerned.

5.Today, the Customer Centre ta-

kes one third of the complaints

reported about Gavlegårdarna’s housing

stock – at Brynäs, Bomhus, Norrsun-

det, Bergby, Öster, and Gävle Strand.

Problems in the other areas are reported

directly to the caretakers. Today, 47% of

tenants report faults and other problems

via the Internet.

sistant makes a note of all the

information surrounding the problem and

informs the tenant that it should be taken

care of within three days.

Both Frederick Hallqvist (left) and Marie

Söderblom (above) have left the job of

caretaker behind them, and today serve the

tenants at the Customer Centre instead.

2011 | 37

Conny Löfstrand was living in a fl at with three rooms and a kitchen in Öster, but liked the idea of something smaller in the same

area. “We were out eating and I was talking to my son about it. We took a chance and came over here. I thought you had to book

an appointment,” said Conny in surprise, as Fredrik Hallqvist from the Customer Centre brought out the fl oor plans of a vacant fl at

with two rooms and a kitchen. After many years, Conny had accumulated a lot of queue points and was number one on the list.

“You’ll save a thousand kronor a month here,” said his son Leif, happily.

“Listening to our employees can be

pretty impressive”

Katarina

Mårtensson is the

manager of the 25

employees at the

Customer Centre.

38 | 2011

Inga-Lill Helin lives in an owner-occupied

fl at that is currently up for sale on the

market. She’s found a fl at in Andersberg

that she really wants. Marie Söderblom

points out that Inga-Lill will have the chance

to rent it, if nobody pushes her down the

queue within the next few hours. “In that

case, we’ll have to really hope,” said Inga-

Lill, hugged by her friend Marianne Liljeroth.

Jessica Ravanelli is one of the voices tenants hear

fi rst when they call the Customer Centre. There

are a lot of calls every day, and it’s important not

to get stressed when the queue grows.

Did you know?• In a typical day, the Customer Centre

receives around 350 telephone

calls, 850 people visit the company’s

website, 50 people join live chat, 80

people send us mail, 40 people call

about their contracts, 30 people call

about credit-related issues, and 50

people come in to deal with their

problems over the counter. Accor-

dingly, the Customer Centre comes

into contact with nearly 1,500 people

every day.

• A computer program measures the

level of service provided daily. The

Customer Centre receives precise

statistics about how many people

hung up in the telephone queue and

how long they had to wait.

• There’s room for fi ve people in the

telephone queue. After that, the

customer receives an automated

message indicating that the queue is

currently full. Every assistant can see

from an indicator if there are calls

waiting in the queue.

• The single most common question of

the callers is. “What’s my password

to get into the website?”

• All employees at the Customer

Centre must spend at least half a day

every year out in the actual residenti-

al areas. This is so that they can learn

more about the overall operation and

the everyday lives of the tenants.

• Gavlegårdarna has 73,000 registered

customers.

• Approximately 300 tenants move

house each month.

• 96.7% of Gavlegårdarna’s tenants pay

their rent on time.

2011 | 39

Before the game, Gavlegårdarna announced it would be

distributing tickets via a lottery system to some lucky

tenants in Brynäs and Bomhus – and the response was huge.

A total of 150 families competed for the 48 seats.

“It’s great that the tenants can benefi t from

Gavlegårdarna’s sponsorship of Brynäs. This was a really

good initiative, although I never dared to think that we

might win,” said Sören Johansson, who lives in Brynäs.

He is an ice hockey fan who quite often goes to home

games but, for his wife and the children, this was their fi rst

time.

“It costs a lot of money to take the whole family to a

match. So, for a lot of people, this is a really great expe-

rience,” said Sören Johansson.

Brynäs and Bomhus at the Läkerol Arena

When Brynäs played their last game before

the Christmas break, a new attendance record

for the season was set at Läkerol Arena. Over

8,000 people saw the home team beat Frölunda

in match with plenty of goals that ended 4–3.

Sebastian Hedlund lives in

Brynäs and plays ice hockey

in Brynäs Second Graders.

Sören Johansson has been an ice hockey fan for many years. But for his wife, Ona-

nong Buttawong, and son, Phuripup, this was the fi rst time at a game.

It was the premiere at Läkerol

Arena for Christer Johansson,

seen here with his brother

Tomas Jonsson.

A signed team shirt was

the prize in a lottery for

the young participants

and it went to 14-year-old

Alexander Sundqvist from

Bomhus.

15-month-old Alexandra Johans-

son both slept and cheered her

way through Brynäs’ win over

Frölunda.

Gustav Mattson went to the

hockey match with his aunt, Lina

Eriksson. His aunt lives in one of

Gavlegårdarna’s fl ats in Brynäs.

40 | 2011

The tiger mascot wel-

comed Gavlegårdarna’s

guests and gave fl ags to all

the children.

Alexandra Johansson, 6, came

to the ice hockey match with

Grandma, Lilly-Ann Gunnarsson.

For Grandma, this was her fi rst time

at the Läkerol Arena.

Christer Jonsson was one of those who had never been

inside Läkerol Arena.

“This is a real party. Nowadays there’s a lot more going

on around a hockey game. When I saw Godis play outside,

there wasn’t much to look at away from the ice. Well, there

were a few guys walking backwards and forwards

trying to keep warm!” said Christer, with a

laugh.

Christer Jonsson is also a tenant at

Brynäs, and has lived in the same fl at

on Riggargatan since it was built in

the late 1960s.

“I really appreciate this

chance to go and see some

ice hockey. I would like

to thank Gavlegår-

darna, but I also

want to say that

we tenants are

actually worth

this,” he said.

And then he

laughed again. �

The customer surveys we have carried out show

the same result: the majority of Gavlegårdarna’s

tenants want current and specifi c information

about their area, and they want it via fast chan-

nels such as the computer or the phone.

“That’s why we’ve stopped printing our tenant news-

letter. The studies we carried out showed that fewer

and fewer people were reading it, and that the infor-

mation was too general,” said Katarina Mårtensson,

Head of the Customer Centre at Gavlegårdarna.

“It’s all about providing information that is im-

portant for the customer when it happens and where

it happens, and that’s the change of course that we are

implementing right now,” she said.

Instead of one newsletter, Gavlegårdarna has now

introduced 16 newsletters, one for each of its areas. The

company has also set up a very popular live chat facility

that is currently generating 50–60 chats per day.

“It’s usually about the same sort of questions that

we get when we answer the phone, but on the chat

line we like the fact that we can easily send links to

the website and more information to the customer

directly.”

Gavlegårdarna will, of course, carry on putting

information up in the stairwells and leaving notes in

mailboxes, but development work on the new channels

will also continue.

“The customers can do so much digitally these

days, such as ordering wallpaper via our website, for

instance, and we plan to continue our efforts in this

direction,” said Katarina.

Like so many other companies, Gavlegårdarna

is also represented in social media, such as Face-

book. Customer service issues can pop up here too,

but social media also serves as a supplement to the

ordinary channels, a way of getting information out

there quickly regarding urgent matters, such as service

disruptions. �

Changing the channels at Gavlegårdarna

Chat with usOur live chat is open on weekdays, 09.00-11.00 and 13.00-14.30. Chat can be closed at times of peak activity in the Customer Centre.

2011 | 41

He was the Managing Director who changed Gavlegårdarna during his time in offi ce. The company

today does so much more than manage a large number of fl ats in Gävle.

“We work with people’s entire living environment. Social responsibility is a key term, it’s very

important, and it makes the job so much more fun,” said Janne Hugg, who is now handing over the

reins to his successor.

t was the day of the Lucia

celebrations (13 December),

and the temperature was above

zero. Outside the window, the

sky was grey and the thermo-

meter confi rmed the positive

number. It was hard to believe

that the year was coming to an

end, but when 2011 became 2012 it was

time for Janne Hugg to hand over the

role of Managing Director and instead

devote himself to something else.

“I’m not dreading leaving, but of

course there are a lot of things I will

miss. It’s hard to say exactly what at

the moment, but I think it will concern

the identity you get from belonging to

a company like Gavlegårdarna. Not

outwardly so much as inwardly, for

yourself,” said Janne Hugg, adding a

dash of milk to his coffee.

“To deal with the fact that your

working life is over, you have to stand

fi rmly, purely mentally. I tend to think

that, in the worst-case scenario, my

existence will be like a chair with three

legs where they’re cutting one off. Ho-

wever, in the best-case scenario, they’re

cutting one leg off a four-legged chair

… that is to say it will sort itself out.”

He smiled and continued, “I

believe in the latter. I have a lot of

interests, I like exercising, and I expect

to be very busy.”

Janne Hugg was MD of Gavle-

gårdarna for 12 years. He joined the

company from the municipally owned

Hyresbostäder, fully aware that the two

companies would soon be merging.

“Nobody had really imagined how

revolutionary that process was going

to be. We wondered how different two

municipally owned housing companies

could be? However, it turned out that

they couldn’t really have been more

different,” said Janne.

“We went from 10,000 fl ats to

almost 17,000. The employees had

to learn new systems and new tasks

at work. It’s only natural that such

a development created uncertainty,

leading to a drop in our quality which

among other things led to a decline in

customer satisfaction,” he continued.

“Sometimes, it’s a good job you

don’t know the extent of things before-

hand. Because we had to undertake a

very long journey to get back again.”

But it’s an ill wind that blows

nobody any good.

During the diffi cult years, the ma-

nagement team worked hard and well

together. Even today, a decade later,

“Huggen” is handing over the reins

42 | 2011

Janne Hugg talks about teamwork as

an important and unique asset of the

whole company.

“I’ve never seen anything quite

like the situation we created here. At

Gavlegårdarna, it is entirely natural for

people to see themselves as part of a

team, something which is outstanding,

the best thing we have. It’s very hard

to beat a team that works together like

that,” he said.

“A corporate culture must be sown

in the management organisation and

then planted into the rest of the organi-

sation from there. Over the years I have

become more and more aware that

the role of the leader is also the

role of the corporate culture bearer

and today this is of the utmost

importance. Employees don’t

do as you say, they do as you do,” he

continued, adding, “You have to practice

what you preach. It breeds confi dence,

respect, and trust – all of which are vital

both for wellbeing and profi tability.

Janne Hugg became known as a

clear leader with strategic foresighted-

ness. His faith in the competence of

his colleagues, as well as their ability to

take responsibility, meant that he avoi-

ded getting too involved with details.

“ Long but strong reins, absolu-

tely!” he said.

“All of the employees who can

plan their work and develop in their

role have a chance to grow, that is my

absolute conviction. However, I don’t

shirk a tough talk from time to time, if

it’s necessary,”

When he was new at Gavlegår-

darna, Janne Hugg was praised for his

interest in staff welfare. He was the

MD whose door was always open and

who always had time for a chat.

“That’s true, I can probably count

on the fi ngers of one hand the number

of occasions when I told someone I

didn’t have time,” he said.

He continued, “It’s about your

outlook on people and about being

who you are. I would never have been

able to disguise myself. I think that

trying to separate your private self

from your professional self by showing

off somehow will end up breaking you

inside. Furthermore, I’m convinced

that people see through it anyway.”

Janne Hugg has a genuine and fun-

damental belief that it is the employees

who ultimately appoint a person as their

leader, not a board. “The Board of Di-

rectors appoint you to the role of MD,

but it’s the employees who give you the

confi dence to be a leader,” he said.

For this reason, Janne remem-

bers – and values very highly – all the

invitations he received over the years

that gave him the recognition even an

MD needs.

“Quite early on, I was invited to

take part in activities like the dragon

boat competition during the City Fes-

tival. I was also invited to join a group

of hunters that had existed in the

company for a long time. These

were great moments, ones where

I wasn’t the MD but a member of

the group,” he said, and conti-

nued, “As a leader, you always live with

a certain degree of uncertainty. I chose

to accept the fact that I didn’t have

complete control over everything, and I

trusted that we respected each other in

both directions.”

Janne advocates leadership built

on values ahead of authority, not least

when it comes to achieving the com-

mon goals that have been set.

“Sooner or later, you’re going to

come to tough situations, where maybe

“You have to practice what you preach”

2011 | 43

you have to make people redundant or

something. Then you must have the

courage to get in the lift and ride all

the way down, otherwise you will hurt

people. That’s where the outlook on

people comes in again,” he said.

“Leadership is to a great extent

something you’re born with, and you

have to think it’s fun to work with it.

There are some aspects of it that you

can work on during your working life,

but the foundation is probably having

the aptitude to be a leader – at least,

that’s my opinion.”

He himself discovered quite early on

in life that this “talent” was there. Growing

up with his grandparents in Hälsingland,

he often had to take care of himself. “There

were no ‘curling parents’ there,” he said.

“To be a little philosophical,

perhaps a lot of things were foun-

ded there, in the high performance

demands I placed on myself. I always

wanted to make the best of every situa-

tion. Later, in sports and during my

military service, I realised that it was

fun to lead other people,” he said.

With a degree in engineering as

support, his journey through life conti-

nued, working in various management

positions. In Gästrikland, we remember

him, among other things, as the MD of

Kungsberget, as being in charge of local

traffi c and city buses, as the Head of the

Business and Commercial Development

Offi ce in the Municipality of Gävle, and

as MD of Hyresbostäder.

At Gavlegårdarna, Janne Hugg’s

period at the helm will be remembered

as the time when the company went

from managing homes and properties

to managing people’s entire living

environments.

“Fifteen years ago, a lot of our

business consisted of concrete, stone,

nails and boards. Now we’ve been on

a journey where we’ve opted instead

for far greater customer focus. We’ve

started to measure what our customers

actually think of us. We’ve initiated

democratic processes around the di-

strict renewal projects taking place in

our Million Homes Programme areas,

and we value the social responsibility

towards our tenants. Overall, this has

meant that our customers now have

more confi dence in us, which in turn

increases our status in the whole of

Gävle,” said Janne Hugg.

“We don’t just work with products

like fl ats, cranes, wallpaper and fl oo-

ring. At Gavlegårdarna, we work with

people and that’s so much more fun,”

said Janne.

He continued, “Working in public

sector administration is far more

complex than it is in the private sector

arena, where the focus is undoubtedly

on economics and profi tability. We

have to take into account a whole

range of parameters, such as business

and politics. Company and muni-

cipal laws are all around us, as well

as special legislation for municipally

owned companies. We have to com-

bine profi tability with responsibility,

all the while maintaining our working

relationship with our owners and our

other stakeholders in society.”

For Janne Hugg, the job was a

fascinating challenge, where he also

had the opportunity to demonstrate

the results.

“From the outside, we get a lot

of indication that Gavlegårdarna is a

company that doesn’t just talk, it does

what it says it will do. It’s good for an

impatient person like me to hear that,”

he said, laughing.

“We didn’t always choose the

easiest way out. The successful renova-

tion work in Öster is an example of

where we now, via a research report,

have scientifi c evidence of the positive

impact our work there has had. From

both an economic and a social perspec-

tive,” said Janne.

“Simply choosing to carry out the

technical renovations would, of course,

have been the easiest option. However,

we chose to work democratically, and

we invited all tenants to get involved

in the process, something that is much

more diffi cult. We adopted a way of

working where we always felt that

we were right – and now we have the

proof that we were.”

Janne is leaving his position in a

company that is fl ourishing.

But now it is again time to think

with strategic vision – though of a

different kind now. Because after

the New Year, Janne Hugg will be

focusing on things like carpentry at

his house by Lake Storsjön, pulling

the odd pike-perch out of the water, or

taking out his enduro to whip up some

gravel along a dirt road somewhere.

In a nutshell, it’s time for him to

manage his own living environment. �

“As a leader, you always live with a certain degree of uncertainty”

44 | 2011

This is Janne HuggNAME: : Janne Hugg, known as Huggen

since he was a child.

AGE: Just turned 60.

PROFESSION: Retiring MD at Gavlegårdarna.

FAMILY: Married to Elisabeth, and the

couple have two adult children each.

LIVES: In a house by Storsjön, outside

Sandviken.

HOBBIES: Riding an enduro in the forest,

being outdoors, exercising, carpentry.

MUSIC: Springsteen, Train, Ledin, Laleh, and

others. Works out to music that’s full of

go, such as The Refreshments.

FILM: Watches a lot of fi lms, especially

action and adventure movies.

THREE KEY WORDS AS LEADRE: CONFIDENCE – employees must have

this in you,

TRUST – you must have this in your

colleagues,

RESPECT – this has to go both ways.

Those are all essential for my style of

leadership.

WEAKNESS: Must perhaps be my mood. I

have a relatively short fuse and can be both

touchy and irritable, but I’m also straight-

forward and say what I’m thinking. When I

was leaving and being thanked, they talked

about my “black eyes”, and that’s a trait I

hadn’t previously been aware of …

CHATTERBOX OR THINKER: I have no problems

speaking, nor am I introverted, but I’m

probably not the one who talks the most

at a meeting.

THREE WORDS ABOUT YOUR YEARS AT GAVLEGÅR-DARNA: Three words? MY BEST YEARS!

FUTURE VISION FOR GAVLEGÅRDARNA: The poten-

tial exists to be one of Sweden’s absolute

foremost and most modern housing

companies. It’s a company that can

observe future needs and opportunities

at an early stage, and has the ability to

point the compass in the right direction.

Questions about demographic deve-

lopment and accessibility features are

probably the most strategically important

at the moment.

DESCRIBE GAVLEGÅRDARNA TODAY, WHAT YOU ARE LEAVING: Very few people are so privileged

that they can fi nish in such a positive era.

We won several awards during 2011,

among others for Best Product Quality

and Best Administrative Quality – in

competition with both private and public

companies. We have acquired both envi-

ronmental and quality certifi cation, which

should be seen as confi rmation that our

working practices and procedures are

functioning well. We’ve reached a new

“all time high” in the number of fl ats and

business premises that we have rented

out – indeed, today we have almost no

vacant fl ats or premises, which is good

because a lot of vacant properties can

cause a major fi nancial setback. Last year

really was a magical one.

WHAT ARE GAVLEGÅRDARNA’S STRENGTHS: The em-

ployees and their desire to work as a team.

That feeling was in the walls there, all I

had to do was build on it even more. We

completed a transformation from housing

administrators to a modern company

that takes care of and develops human

habitats. We take a great social respon-

sibility towards our tenants and we have

pushed our customer focus much further

than many others. As a tenant of Gavlegår-

darna, you have a far greater opportunity

to exert an infl uence on your fl at and your

environment than is the case with most

other landlords. We have always taken

advantage of technological possibilities and

we understand what it means to want to

stay on top in the future.

2011 | 45

“We really went on a journey with this project. Öster has

gone from being a place that the residents were not really

very proud of at all, to the position of being one of the most

popular residential areas today,” said Hans Helmerson, Pro-

ject Leader at Gavlegårdarna.

The success of the project lies in the approach applied,

so-called tenant infl uence, where the tenants were involved

in the whole process from the very beginning. Initially, all of

the residents were invited to a meeting where everything

was on the agenda, large and small issues.

“We made a note of the good things, the bad things, and

what tenants felt was missing,” said Hans.

The results were collated and catalogued, after which

an action plan was devised for work in the future. Two of

the things missing in Öster were safer footpaths and a forum

where the tenants could meet. The residents were very

enthusiastic during the entire process, which was a major

contributory factor behind the good result. The tenants have

now started a number of social activities that mean people

living in the area get to know each other better.

The district renewal in Öster is now a model for similar

projects in other parts of the Gavlegårdarna property portfolio.

“The working model, where the tenants can infl uence

the conversion process, is a winning

concept,” concluded Hans Helmersson.

The Tag – a piece of plastic that promotes security

vlegårdarna property portfolio.

e the tenants can infl uence

nning

mersson.

Basement storage area doors

with a thin wooden frame and

chicken wire, kept “secure” with

a tiny padlock. Sound familiar?

Not in Nordost, where major

investments have been made in

recent years to increase security

in the basement storage areas,

and which have produced good

results.

In every basement in Nord-

ost, there are now 10-50 storage

areas with strong front sections,

and these can only be opened

with the tenant’s own tag. The

storage areas are behind new

security doors, which can also

be opened only by means of the

same technique. Krister Palm, an

administrator at Gavlegårdarna

Nordost, is pleased with these

developments.

“The number of burglaries

down in the basements has

decreased dramatically since we

introduced the new system with

these tags,” he said.

The system that ensures tags

are used at the entrance doors,

lifts, and basements is called

“Skalskydd” (literally “perimeter

protection”). All tenants are

entitled to three tags when they

move into their fl at, and they must

return them when they move out

again. It’s easy to block tags that

get lost and perhaps fall into the

wrong hands.

“That’s the great advantage of

the tag system. Previously, we had

to change the locks on the doors

instead, something that is very

costly,” said Krister.

They work with security is-

sues daily in Nordost, and major

improvements have been carried

out regarding both soft and hard

issues. These can include all sorts

of things, such as locking the lifts

at night so that nobody can go

down to the storage areas to

creating open spaces outside

where people can get together.

Krister, who is out and about in

the area every day, has noticed

that the tenants are very positive

towards any initiatives that make

them feel safer and more secure.

Tenant infl uence creates wellbeing in Öster

For the last ten years, since 2001, there has been

an enormous district renewal going on in Öster.

The project, which came to an end in August

2010, became one of Gavlegårdarna’s most suc-

cessful projects, attracting study visits by minis-

ters and housing companies.

46 | 2011

© AB Gavlegårdarna, 2012.Production: Baringo reklam & kommunikation, in collaboration with AB Gavlegårdarna. Photography: Albin Bogren, AB Gavlegårdarna, Gefl e Dagblad, and others. Printing: Sandvikens Tryckeri AB.

Gavlegårdarna is building 53 new rental fl ats at Gävle Strand

Outlook for 2012

The project “Beautiful green Sätra” is startingThe project “Beautiful green Sätra”, a renovation project with an emphasis on en-

vironmental and energy improvements, will get underway during 2012. This pro-

ject aims to create a sustainable district, viewed from economic, social, ecological

and aesthetic perspectives, and is one where we are again using tenant infl uence,

where the tenants are involved and can have an effect on their living environment.

Sicksackvägen 34One part of the project includes the renovation of Sicksackvägen 34, behind Sätra

Centre. This building is going to be turned into sheltered housing, in other words

housing for the elderly. There will be 62 fl ats with a high level of accessibility and

large balconies.

Östra SätraThree blocks of fl ats in Östra Sätra, at Pinnmovägen 26 and Glaciärvägen 21 and

23, are to be rebuilt. The fl ats will totally renovated, the balconies will be repla-

ced, and the facades will be coated with roughcast.

The 53 rental fl ats will be ready for occupancy

in the spring of 2013, and the ground-breaking

ceremony for the two new four-storey buil-

dings at Gävle Strand will be held in May.

“These fl ats will have a high level of accessibi-

lity, meaning large bathrooms and kitchens, open

fl oor plans, and generous balconies,” said Ulf

Gavlefors, Project Manager at Gavlegårdarna.

The entrances will also be well-proportio-

ned, and there will be a lift in each stairwell.

Lindbäcks Bygg from Piteå is constructing

these buildings out of wood, and they will be

delivered prefabricated, as so-called modules.

This means that all the fl ooring and household

equipment is already in place when the sec-

tions are delivered to Gävle.

This will be Gavlegårdarna’s third resi-

dential project at Gävle Strand, and when it’s

completed there will be a total of 137 rental

fl ats in the area.

2011 | 47

AB Gavlegårdarna

Box 456, SE-801 06 Gävle

Street address: S. Kungsvägen 25

Tel: +46 (0)26 17 27 00 | Fax: +46 (0)26 17 28 00

info@gavlegardarna.se | www.gavlegardarna.se