Hlaváček: Prague should have its own development company

Publisher
ČTK
17.12.2018 18:45
Czech Republic

Prague

Prague - According to the example of other European cities, Prague should have its own company responsible for urban development. This was stated today by the first deputy mayor for territorial development, Petr Hlaváček (for the United Forces for Prague). The company would be responsible for the construction of apartments and educational facilities, for example. So far, it is just an idea that the deputy would like to promote among coalition partners and prepare a proposal, possibly a trial operation, during this electoral period. The city is also preparing another analysis of vacant land in its ownership.


"All successful cities build," the deputy said, referring to Munich, where, according to him, the city developer has been functioning since the 1920s. According to him, the Prague City Hall currently does not know how to build very well. This is reflected in the fact that over the past approximately 15 years, the city has not built a single apartment, although some projects are prepared.

The new city leadership has commissioned an analysis to identify land for so-called affordable housing. This differs from the also used term social housing in that it is not necessarily intended for residents in social need, but can also serve, for example, to members of essential professions such as healthcare workers or teachers.

Prague had already commissioned a study in the previous electoral period that identified land for construction. However, according to Hlaváček, the assignment was to find land for social housing, so it focused on places where construction would not create ghettos and would not provoke local residents' resistance. Therefore, the deputy believes that the new analysis will be able to identify land that the previous one overlooked. Councilor Hana Marvanová (for STAN) added that the city would like to offer the land to housing cooperatives, which could build on it.

In recent years, Prague has been struggling with a housing crisis, caused by low construction and high housing prices. The new coalition of the Pirates, United Forces for Prague (TOP 09, STAN, KDU-ČSL), and Prague Sobě has set solving this problem as a priority. It promises actions that will speed up the permitting of construction, thereby increasing construction and the supply of apartments in the metropolis. However, the coalition parties still need to agree on concrete measures.
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