Brno wants to enhance the neglected neighborhood where Roma people live

Brno - The Brno city hall wants to renovate one of the most neglected areas of the city around Bratislavská Street, where many debtors, socially excluded individuals, and Roma live. Apartments and public spaces in the area are to be renovated. The so-called integrated urban development plan, which includes a list of changes, was approved by the city council on Tuesday. This is a step towards enabling Brno to obtain European subsidies for the renewal of the area, said the mayor's deputy Martin Ander to ČTK.
    According to Ander, the approval of the plan was important. "This demonstrates to the ministry (of regional development) that we are capable of spending the 280 million crowns that could be allocated to Brno on a well-thought-out plan that will address the situation," he said.
    The plan includes three types of changes in the neglected area. Derelict apartment buildings would be regenerated, followed by a social project that would ensure that tenants treat the renovated properties carefully. "To ensure that the houses that are repaired do not look like they do now in five years," Ander said. Furthermore, public spaces are to be renewed, where small areas and playgrounds with unbreakable elements for children's play will be created. "Because if children grow up in an environment where everything is broken and destroyed, or if there are no playgrounds, it reflects on their development," the deputy stated.
    The project for the renewal of the neglected part of the city between Francouzská Street and Cejl is criticized by the opposition. According to the Civic Democrats, the document is poorly prepared and does not ensure that repaired houses and public spaces will not be destroyed by people in the problematic locality soon after.
    Ander rejected the criticism. According to him, it is necessary to work with the residents of the excluded area to prevent the situation from escalating like it did in the Litvínov housing estate Janov. Conflicts between non-conforming residents and the rest of the estate escalated there this year to the point that right-wing radicals came to the city and organized a march to Janov. Hundreds of them then clashed violently with the police. City leaders have already started to negotiate with the residents of the estate. They promised to intervene against problematic individuals.