IS INTEGRATION AND EMPOWERMENT OF THE EXCLUDED NEEDED?
Saba Golchehr
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role of municipality In order to put this project in a contemporary planning framework, the current condition of the housing corporation and the role of the municipality in urban renewal projects is reviewed. As mentioned earlier in the housing corporation Vestia is momentarily coping with internal and economical problems. Due to the financial downturn at Vestia hundred projects, particularly in the disadvantaged neighborhoods, are at risk. These projects concern not only the renovation, demolition and construction of tens of thousands of homes, but also the construction of schools, sports halls, health centers and shelters for troubled youth, women and drug addicts. This according to a tour of the NOS (2012) along the aldermen of Rotterdam, The Hague, Delft, Zoetermeer and Westland. Vestia would invest hundreds of millions of euros in various projects in these municipalities. Due to the financial problems of the housing corporation there is no more money for the time being. Vestia was threatened to go bankrupt this spring. This could only be avoided with an emergency loan of more than 1.5 billion. In order to become financially healthy again, Vestia will sell 15,000 of its rental apartments in the next ten years. At the same time there all construction plans are cancelled, with the exception of projects which Vestia cannot refuse legally. The aldermen of the cities where Vestia owns a high number of the dwellings, are disappointed. They see the dissolving of the development of deprived neighbourhoods and thus fear for the safety and livability in these areas. According to alderman Marnix Norder of the Hague this will have profound implications for the city, where thirty-four projects were planned. Since several years the municipality of the Hague is trying to force these deprived neighbourhoods to get back on track. Through various investments, including that of Vestia, the number of unemployment, school dropouts and crime had decreased. Houses were demolished and renewed. According to the aldermen the positive development of these areas will stop if these investments dissolve now. Alderman Hamit Karakus of Rotterdam fears that the projects will be delayed and that the high educated inhabitants move away from the neighborhoods due to the lack of qualitative dwellings (NOS, 2012). So now ten thousands of inhabitants in Rotterdam and the Hague risk being victimized due to the financial problems of the housing corporation Vestia. Especially the city of Rotterdam is heavily affected: thirty-five building projects are abolished. One of the
neighbourhoods that is affected the hardest by this building freeze is the Afrikaanderwijk. In this neighbourhood the demolishing of sever building blocks is already in progress. However the future developments of the new dwellings is uncertain at the moment, for there are currently no investors for the neighbourhood renewal development. Fig. 13.1 Photo of first renewal actions of housing corporation Vestia