Housing Estates Graz (Lebenswert Wohnen GOAL Graz)

Best Practice

Topics

• New forms of decision-making
• Governance capacity, Mobility, Policies and instruments

Short description

GOAL (Gesund Ohne Auto und Lärm, Healthy without Car and Noise) was supposed to noticeably increase the quality of life of the population of Graz within two and a half years. An extensive action plan relating to the topics of environment, health, mobility and noise was established. In the module 'Housing Estates' (Modul Lebenswert Wohnen) measures to increase life quality in three residential areas in Graz were developed in a collaborative manner.

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Project executive

Environmental Department of the City of Graz (Umweltamt Stadt Graz), the project is an EU-LIFE project of the City of Graz, partners are FGM-AMOR, ZfG (Centre for Promoting Health of the Children's Friends of Styria, Graz/Austria), GVB (Transport Association of Graz), Cityfunk 878 GmbH - Radio Taxi 878 Ltd. Graz

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Participants

Residents from three different districts in Graz, 14 residents as managers of the Local Agenda 21 (LAMA) and employees of the Environmental Department of the City of Graz

Objectives

The project aims at working out measures to increase the quality of life in three residential areas in Graz collectively under participation of residents and honorary employees of the City of Graz.

Activities

In the three housing estates, so called GOAL Committes were established. 14 committed citizens who were enthusiastic about this idea right from the beginning were trained as so-called LAMAs (Local Agenda Managers) in the course of GOAL. The trainig plan consisted of moderation, project management, conflict management, public relations. A special module was devoted to the topic of "gentle mobility". Several measures were developed to increase life quality in the three housing estates.

Process

Work in the three different housing estates was characterised by uniform initial steps - sending out questionnaires, evaluations, informing the inhabitants about results, elaborating an action plan. In every housing estate there were several meetings, comittee meetings, workshops and also parties.

Results

The project trained 14 Local Agenda Managers (LAMAs) for participative planning purposes and empowerment processes in three selected residential areas. They were entrusted with supporting people living in the housing estates in handling their problems. A programme was developed and a survey of living conditions and habits was made. In the three selected housing estates with 11,000 inhabitants significant improvements in the living conditions were established in a manner in which decisions were taken in a collaborative manner. A new LAMA course was offered in 2004. // Several measures, projects and activities were developed in the three different residential areas: e.g Rooms for Manoevre / Free Spaces for young people, noise circle (noise related mediation), offering opportunities of doing sports (streetball, soccer, hiphop), solving waste problems , little traffic summit, neighbourhood map, bicycle check, discussions about traffic issues, ...

Evaluation

The project has not been evaluated.

Difficulties

There is no information about difficulties.

Budget

140.000 EUR (Euro)

Financial backer

140.000 EUR, 50% EU-LIFE, 50% City of Graz

Source of information

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://www.goal-graz.at

Publication

GOAL – Gesund Ohne Auto und Lärm (German), Healthy without Car and Noise FINAL REPORT see item below

Project executive as above

Contact person as above

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

In line with the key issue of GOAL information offensive realting to 'Gentle Mobility' was initiated in connection with traffic. People's awareness of local supply and recreation could be created. The motto was: Farther away does not mean better. Maps showing the sourroundings of the housing estates were drawn. The maps show all the important local suppliers and were distributed to the residents. Plans show how the reach these facilities and the nearest bus or tram stop was provided. In traffic meetings between the residents and the competent authorities solutions for existing or arising problems were discussed and implemented where possible.

Economic value added

There were several projects to enhance the life of quality in the residential areas with some ecomomic value added: special "dog stations", an energy saving project, a planting project, initiating car sharing, parking space management, traffic safety projects,...

Socio-cultural value added

Wherever people live together there are conflicts. As experience has shown, problems in housing estates often are 'home-made'. Therefore the solutions also had to be 'home-made'. Representatives from the the three selected housing estates with about 11,000 inhabitants belonging to different social groups had to find approaches for solving these problems that would be endorsed by everybody. The relationship between the residents and the residential co-operative was ameliorated.

Innovative content

The special novelty of this approach consists in intensively involving honorary assistants and entrusting them with supporting people living in the housing estates in handling their problems at the site.

Good governance

In all the housing estates significant improvements in the living environment could be achieved by establishing structures in which decisions were taken in a collaborative manner among the partners.

PR impact

GOAL flags in the residential areas, GOAL homepage, press conference, ORF TV broadcast, article in the Kleine Zeitung (regional newspaper) and several promotion activities

Multiplier effect / networking

The three housing estates were awarded the title 'Housing Estate of the City of Graz to conformity to the Agenda' to reward them for enhancing quality of life. The 14 LAMAs were also honoured officially in the spirit of the Local Agenda. They will continue to act as competent interlocutors and multipliers in housing estates in which they live. The idea of 'Housing Estates in conformity to Agenda 21' is so successful that they will persist. New housing estates will be incorportated.

Transferability

The project is transferable to other cities and residential areas with environmental or neighbourly problems to be solved. The methods can be similar but must be different as the case arises.

Remarks

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Further information