The document describes the programme “Districts with Special Development Needs – The Socially Integrative City” established jointly by Federal Government and the Länder 1999 to combat social and spatial marginalization (2005: 330 programme areas in 230 German cities). The core elements of the programme approach are presented - including resource pooling of different administrative layers and departments, activation and participation on the neighbourhood level, the formulation of Integrated Action Plans and the establishment of new management structures.

The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing (BMVBW) has recruited the Difu to provide referral, guidance and information services for the first phase of programme implementation (1999-2003) and to organize an Onsite Programme Support in 16 pilot areas.

The research reports on the approach and first experiences regarding the programme “Socially Integrative City” aimed at integrative urban district development.

This initial appraisal of the Socially Integrative City programme is based on various surveys addressing programme particitpants, reports of the Onsite Programme Support and workshops that were conducted or organized by Difu during its programme support.

After three years of implementation a positive balance in many programme areas is postulated: a new awareness of local problems and capabilities, interdepartmental and cross-level joint efforts and increasing efforts in experience-sharing between participating cities can be observed. Neighbourhood managements structures are in place, whereas Integrated Action Plans are still underdeveloped. The broad spectrum of Socially Integrative City projects and initiatives reflects the variety of fields of activity in integrative urban district development, though the classical fields like “living environment and public space” still dominate the programme.

Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik (Difu)
Thomas Franke, tel. +49 30 390 01 107

01/05/2002

Heidede Becker, Thomas Franke, Rolf-Peter Löhr, Verena Rösner

research

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Capacity building