How can social housing residents play an active role in the regeneration of their neighbourhoods? First things first, urban transformation must be accessible, flexible, and built on local needs.
Once a traditional social housing area, Santa Ana–one of the demos of our EU-funded drOp project–has seen an increase in working-age residents due to nearby industrial growth. However, local businesses are struggling—the neighbourhood’s car-oriented layout, lack of public spaces, or limited accessibility have made it difficult to foster a thriving local economy. The need for capacity-building initiatives became clear: to empower residents, support local businesses, and strengthen municipal engagement in urban transformation.
In a webinar, we focused on the programme so that it successfully targets residents, local commerce and municipality staff. A professional course on sustainable construction is one concrete example, equipping workers with new skills and official certification, creating real job opportunities.
Key lessons learnt: start by understanding what skills and support the community needs, make the most of existing resources, bring local players together, offer flexible training options, and ensure the community is ready to engage. Urban transformation works best when it is inclusive, adaptable, and shaped by local needs.
You can re-watch the recording.