3 cities driving urban regeneration in social housing

Housing Europe and our Estonian cooperative member, EKYL, are part of the initiative to bring affordable, inclusive housing to local communities through culture and digitalisation.
 
Reporting on progress and implementation during the project team meet-up in Milan, Ermua explained that the city is actively testing citizen engagement and co-governance. The local structure includes the municipality and project team, with the Executive Commission consisting of citizen organisations, NGOs, and representatives from the local culture and creative industries. This process includes engaging residents, co-creating actions, testing them in practice, and evaluating the results. One key takeaway: citizen engagement takes time, patience, and trust-building to ensure that residents’ voices are truly heard by decision-makers.
 
A one-stop-shop was also opened in the main pilot city of Ermua, in the new Santa Ana Neighbourhood. This new office will act as a central hub for social and cultural initiatives in the neighbourhood. It will also provide key information about the project activities, along with offering administrative support, technical guidance, and legal advice on building renovation aids and energy communities.
 
During the last year of the project, we will continue to align efforts with the Affordable Housing Initiative, which shares the goal of making homes more accessible, sustainable, and inclusive across Europe. By applying the lessons learnt in Ermua, Elva, and Matera, the ambition of the project is to further contribute to this broader European movement, fostering social inclusion, economic growth, and energy efficiency in housing.