Matosinhos becomes the first UN Resilience Hub in Portugal
The city joins the Province of Potenza (Italy) as the newest role models for the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative
If it wasn’t already apparent, German cities are struggling to cope with the demand for housing
A recent report published by the German Economic Institute (IW) in Cologne has revealed some striking findings, pointing further to the fact that cities in Germany are failing to meet the expectations and the needs of those living there. As we have previously reported, the housing issues in Germany are pushing local governments into uncharted territories in their efforts to curb the problem.
The study has now revealed that the problem is two-fold. On the one hand construction companies are building far too much in sparsely populated rural areas, where there’s not enough people to move into the apartments while at the same time they’re building nowhere near enough in big cities were citizens actually need places to live. For example in Cologne barely 46% of the housing needs of citizens are being met, in Stuttgart the number is 56% while in Munich 67%.
The report drives us to the conclusion that a long-term strategy is needed. As the needs of citizens are not met, prices of apartments rise, which pushes local governments to take further actions. The authors of the study claim that while it might be impossible for construction companies to keep up with the demand for housing, its up to the authorities to figure something out – like repurposing out-of-use buildings and turning them into someplace livable.
Meanwhile smaller municipalities are being swarmed with construction efforts which are in turn driving away people who might want to live there. Who would want their small rural town to be slowly turning into a giant metropolis?
A new long-term strategic approach is needed, spearheaded by a joint effort by local authorities and construction companies and businesses in order to solve a crisis that has been brewing for decades and is unlikely to subside in the near future.
On the fringes of the festival, Film Madrid will hold meetings to promote the region as a filming destination
The city joins the Province of Potenza (Italy) as the newest role models for the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative
The local community welcomed Ukrainians fleeing war with outstanding support
The Smart City Alliance has been quietly building functional tools for both citizens and authorities since 2016
Part of an ongoing trend among these institutions to increase convenience for users
Student teams will have 24 hours to come up with solutions for that issue
The city joins the Province of Potenza (Italy) as the newest role models for the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative
The Smart City Alliance has been quietly building functional tools for both citizens and authorities since 2016
The cities met last week in Katowice to draft a plan on how to facilitate cycling between their territories
Those between the ages of 9 and 13 can attend workshops to learn how to work with wood
On the fringes of the festival, Film Madrid will hold meetings to promote the region as a filming destination
It is renewing and introducing direct flight connections to attract visitors from the US, Middle East and Europe
These will be spread across 11 EU countries and will serve to support the EU Missions
The European Commission has accepted to develop the idea
An interview about AYR, one of the 2021 New European Bauhaus Prize winners
An interview with Nigel Jollands and Sue Goeransson from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
An interview with the President of the City of Athens Reception & Solidarity Centre
A talk with the Mayor of Malmö on the occasion of the city’s UN Resilience Hub status