Urban renewal in Tel Aviv/Reuven Castro
In urban renewal it is forbidden to make discriminations: similar to many fields in the State of Israel, among them transportation, medicine and education, it seems that also in everything related to urban renewal there are equals and there are more equals. Although in the area of talk urban renewal in the periphery is increasing, since especially after the seventh of October everyone wants to take part in the new hit and talk about the renewal of the periphery - in the end, as in everything, the actions are the ones that decide.
"In contrast to the flourishing of urban renewal in the areas of demand in Gush Dan, the scope of urban renewal in the periphery is still faltering," explains
Attorney Or Keren, partner and founder of the KDC firm
.
His statement is supported by the data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics last week, which shows that in 2023 the construction of approx. - 11,490 apartments as a result of the demolition of an existing building and the construction of a new building - more than 53.4% of them, about 53.4%, were built in the Tel Aviv district and about 23.7% in the central district. That is, about 77% of the apartments renovated in Israel in 2023 were built in the Tel Aviv and central area. , let's recall, even though the original purpose for which the Israeli government saw fit to initiate the program more than 25 years ago is to protect human life - both from earthquakes and from falling missiles.
Has this goal been realized over the years?
Attorney Keren explains that according to a report by the Governmental Authority for Urban Renewal, which was published about a year before the War of Iron Swords - absolutely not. "The report shows that what determines where to protect and strengthen buildings in the State of Israel is the price per square meter and not actual threats and dangers. According to the report, the updated By the end of 2022, and unfortunately according to the latest data from the CBS, not much has changed since then, there are about 96,000 buildings in the northern and southern periphery that do not meet the earthquake standard and let's not talk about shielding bases from missile fire. Out of this alarmingly high number, only about 15%, about 13,000 buildings, were approved for urban renewal, the vast majority of which are in the South District," says Attorney Keren.
What about the center of the country and the demand areas?
"Just for the sake of comparison, the number of housing units approved in the central district at that time was 61,000. Are the areas of demand and the areas of the center more equal? Apparently so, since the main reason for not promoting projects in the periphery is the lack of economic feasibility, which are mainly awarded in the areas of demand. This is how a situation has arisen in which Where urban renewal is really required, in the settlements that are near the Syrian-African fault and are in real danger of earthquakes and in the settlements that are in the threat zones in the south and north, there is almost no urban renewal and the time has come to change the situation," continues Attorney Keren.
From the effects of the war - there is a plan, now we have to carry it out
In December 2023, about two months after the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, and in accordance with the conclusions of the Governmental Committee for the Promotion of Urban Renewal in the Periphery, the Director General of the Governmental Authority for Urban Renewal, Eleazar Bamberger, presented a plan in which approximately 110 complexes were located for urban renewal in the periphery, where they could build approximately 37,000 housing units News in the coming decade. This is an ambitious plan that involves a budget of approximately NIS 10 billion, and aims to create economic feasibility for promoting regeneration projects in the periphery.
But is this enough? Can the ambitious plan create a situation in which urban renewal is indeed conducted equally between the demand areas in Gush Dan and the periphery According to Attorney Keren
,
"Apparently, as in any plan, quite a few improvements must be made whose main role is also to provide economic viability to projects in the periphery through budgets, grants and increased rights, as well as to create a plan to reduce cultural, access and education gaps that will encourage positive immigration to the regions These. This plan will include the establishment of educational institutions, higher education, transportation solutions, proper infrastructures and more, which will lead to the creation of real urban renewal and a change in life expectancy, and no longer the renewal of a single building in a problematic area."
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Attorney Keren continues and explains that "We live in the State of Israel and know that the plan presented by the government authority for urban renewal has not yet received government funding. It seems that it will be difficult to implement, since it requires a huge budget of about NIS 10 billion. Meanwhile, in the current situation, there are quite a few apartment owners who are in areas prone to disaster in front of the front and the missile attacks, or in danger areas of an earthquake on the Syrian-African fault line. Therefore, the plan must be promoted, while at the same time there are also quite a few actions that must be promoted already in the immediate time frame, which will help drive the renewal north and south." "
The fact that there is no viability does not mean that there is no need for renewal. Especially after the war, the planning authorities and the state must put their hands deep in their pockets and transfer budgets to promote urban renewal in unviable complexes. The big developers must be attracted through additional rights: unfortunately, we see quite a few cases that during the approval phase of building evacuation plans in the various committees, the impression is created that the desire is to examine how rights can be reduced and create marginal economic viability. The committees must remember that urban renewal, in addition to being a national task, is also an economic business, and therefore a way must be found to attract solid and good entrepreneurs to carry out renewal in the periphery, precisely through increasing building rights in border complexes in terms of economic viability.
The local authorities must promote plans: the authorities must also act and promote strategic plans in urban renewal on their behalf. We must improve the relationship and encourage the interests of the local authorities to promote urban renewal programs in a fast track of authorities. It is important to remember that successful urban renewal takes place only through correct and productive communication between the state and the heads of authorities."
"We are all equally equal, without differences in viability and economy"
Attorney Or Keren, co-founder of the KDC law firm - Cohen-Katsaf, Keren, Dahan & Co./KDC
Attorney Keren explains that "as a firm that represents thousands of apartment owners in dozens of projects across the country, we see the change in perception among apartment owners. We see the responsiveness, desire and understanding beyond the need for self-fulfillment. There is also a stronger need for security and protection here. We are fortunate to be among the pioneer law firms in promoting projects in the peripheral areas, from projects in Eilat in the south to projects in the north of the country such as Bensher, Migdal Hamemek and Kiryat Yam.
" Quite a few fear the feeling of betting on their most valuable financial asset, in most cases. This conflict requires us to provide an envelope of transparency and trust whose function is to instill in them confidence in the process. In order for us to really be able to do this, we must show them practical progress on the ground, and that this time, after many years, they are the ones who are at the top of the list of priorities for promoting applicable plans with clear budgets, designed for the promotion of projects in the periphery."
In conclusion, Attorney Kern says that "a war Iron Swords has created oversight in quite a few areas in the State of Israel, and it is right that it will also open the eyes of all those involved in the work of urban renewal. It is time for all of us to understand that urban renewal plays a significant role in protecting the citizens of the country, therefore it is necessary to make sure that in the face of this plan, we are all equally equal, without differences in viability and economy".
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