The Greater Lyon urban areas were experiencing industrial and social transition because of the decline of the Lyon’s traditional manufacturing base. Economic growth has been concentrated largely in the historic urban core. There was an increasing problem of unpopular housing and low demand in the suburbs. There was a large number of vacant properties in the social housing (‘HLM’) sector which resulted in a financial burden for HLM organisations. The suburbs of Lyon have attracted immigration from northern Africa and other Muslim countries.

To aim of the project was to introduce a step change in housing renewal that moves beyond short-term refurbishment and seeks a long-term perspective that acknowledges the obsolescence of a high proportion of the social housing stock. This implies the creation of an attractive living environment, suited to local needs, through a process of re-residentialisation (major demolition and reconstruction plus the improved use of public space); diversifying the housing supply (quantitatively and qualitatively); developing neighbourhood management; introducing an active policy for co-propriety stock; and redeveloping the degraded town centres.

The projects are trying to take into account the whole range of problems in these neighbourhood: urban measures as cited above, social action to support and to improve community live, economic development, qualification and training, improving the public transport infrastructure. All these elements are included in a single, holistic project.

Local residents in the area have been involved in the housing management and regeneration process, formally, through two principal mechanisms; public meetings and local tenants’ associations. In spite of this, community involvement has remained a challenge. The community involvement in regeneration of Greater Lyon has often, in practice, been relegated to a residual role: the participation has been superficial and restricted to ‘day to day’ issues and they have not been involved in the strategic decision making process.

City of Greater Lyon
Délégation Générale au Développement Urbain Service Politique de la ville et renouvellement urbain

//1999

case

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Urban renewal

Housing estate redevelopment