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Building partnerships by means of the new regeneration law in Catalonia

(Llei de barris)

Montserrat Pareja Eastaway

University of Barcelona

Coordinator RESTATE Spain

Milano City Council Milano, 15th June 2007

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Guión

1. Introduction: Spain, Catalonia and the intervention in large housing estates

2. Problems

3. Solutions

4. Key aspects of the new regeneration law in Catalonia: building partnerships

5. Final comments

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Problems -Districts with building related problems

•70 % of the districts feature buildings in a poor state of repair and suffer service shortfalls

- % of buildings with deficiencies (2.65%, average for Catalonia)- % of buildings with no running water (0.73%)

- Districts with problems of space

•All the districts have high concentration of housing and lack of green zones

-Homes per Ha (examples; Sant Ildefons in Cornellà de Llobregat (205), Barri de la Ribera in Montcada i Reixac (213)-Green zones planned but not implemented (%) (examples: Old district of Tortosa: 100, Roquetes District (96)

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Problems - Districts with demographic problems

• 50% of the districts feature population-variation levels below the average for Catalonia, while 80% show high immigrant-population rates

-Non-EU foreign population 7 % (average for Catalonia)(examples: Santa Caterina, Ciutat Vella (Barcelona) 26.99%, Old town of Manresa (23.65%)

- Districts with economic and social problems

•87% of the districts feature unemployment rates that are above the average rate, and 90% feature low educational levels

-Unemployment rate: 10.20 (average for Catalonia) (examples: Sant Cosme in El Prat (19.74), Casablanca in Sant Boi ( 18.40)-Population over 10 years of age with no secondary school or professional training qualification: 65.5 (average for Catalonia) (examples. Barriada Nova in Canovelles (87.76), L’Erm in Manlleu (82.99)

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Solutions

Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris

Law 2/2004 of 4 June, on improving districts and urban areas requiring particular attention

Predecessor

Neighbourhood Regeneration Programme 1991

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PredecessorNeighbourhood Regeneration Programme 1991

• Transference of responsibilities towards Autonomous Regions 1985

• Very poor situation of neighbourhoods urgent measures adopted

• Main instrument adopted: demolition and additional measures oriented to improve public spaces

• Simultaneously but not included in the programme, in some cases, social programmes were adopted as well.

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PredecessorNeighbourhood Regeneration Programme 1991

• Actors involved

Agreements

Municipality

Regional Government

National government 40% investment

Project selection

Leadership

60 % investment

100% urbanisation

Public space

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barrisLaw 2/2004 of 4 June, on improving districts and urban areas requiring

particular attention

Objectives:

• to set up a fund for driving integrated programmes aimed at renovating and promoting urban districts and areas that require particular attention in economic, social and environmental terms from the Government of Catalonia

• To foster cooperation and participation among the public authorities involved

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barrisLaw 2/2004 of 4 June, on improving districts and urban areas requiring

particular attention

Selection criteria:

• urban regression, shortfalls in amenities and services, demographic, social and environmental problems, social and urban deficits, local development problems

• Three targets:

1. Old town centres

2. Housing estates

3. Unplanned housing marginal districts

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barrisLaw 2/2004 of 4 June, on improving districts and urban areas requiring

particular attention

• Actors involved

Agreements

Regional Government

Municipality

Social agents

50% investment

Selection projects

Monitoring, evaluation

50 % investment

Elaboration proposals

Execution projects

Monitoring, evaluation

Monitoring, evaluation

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Comparing key issues of both strategies

Regeneration Programme 1991 Law 2/2004

Policy Neighbourhood regeneration

Neighbourhood regeneration

Legal framework Specific agreements Neighbourhood Law 2/2004 Territorial unit Public housing estates

Neighbourhoods

Main obejctive Solution for housing

Avoid urban degradation and social segregationl

Basic instrument of action

Projects of substitution of housing

Integral projects (socials, economic and urban)

Initiated by Regional government

Regional government

Funding 40% National gov. 60% Regional gov.

50% Regional gov. 50% Municipality

Leadership Regional gov (INCASOL) Local gov.

Actors Regional and local gov. Regional gov, county councils, municipality, social bodies and citizens organisations

Citizens participation

Residents movements (non regulated/ agreements

Included in monitoring and evaluation

Deadlines No deadline fixed 4 years of execution plus 2 of prorrogue

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris Typology of applicant municipalities

• Dynamic municipalities with resources

• Dynamic but without much resources

• Dependents of public solutions

• Municipalities which follow an already established path

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris Distribution of municipalities in Catalonia

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris Distribution by type of neighbourhood in Catalonia

• 118 approved projects (6 calls)

• 30-40 % old historical centres

• 60% Housing estates (2 of them public) + deprived areas

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris Distribution by type of investment

48.3%9.9%

8.5%

2.2%

4.3%

0.8%

20.4%

5.5%

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris Amount of funding

• From Regional government = 400 MEUR

• From Municipalities = 400 MEUR

800 MEUR for 60 beneficiary neighbourhoods

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris Evaluation

• Non traditional approach in Spain

• Multi-level approach to regeneration

• Existence of a strong political will

• Linked effects with other regional government departments (health, education,..)

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris Evaluation

• Inclusion of medium-long term objectives

• Guarantee of participation

• Objective criteria of selection introduction of scales

• Leadership assumed by the municipality

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris Evaluation

• The wide range of municipalities applying as a problem in itself

• A diverse impact on the beneficiaries of the programme depending on the dimension of the project

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Neighbourhood Law - Llei de barris

• Llei de barris is the first attempt for integral regeneration policies in Catalonia throughout the creation of solid partnerships between agents