Magdolna Neighbourhood lies about 10 minutes East from the centre of the city by public transportation. Magdolna is the largest area of the district and the city as well, which encounters the concentration of run-down physical environment, under-average demographic and economic qualities, and the most underprivileged families and the large proportion of roma population. The problems show in large unemployment rate, and low educational level. The continuous deterioration of the physical environment and the downgrading spiral results in a split the neighbourhood off the the other parts of the district.

The program elements of the regeneration are the following:
Social Program with the improvement of human services, with active resident participation, and with the development of a sustainable social housing stock.
Education – culture – civil sphere with the improvement of the role of Local School, with the revival of Mátyás Square Community Centre, with strenghtening civil initiatives, and with building social network.
Economic Program with funding for SMEs, with the revitalization of local retail, with involving local craftsmen in the reconstructions of the buildings, and with providing new workplaces.

Maximal cooperation and sharing roles, responsibilities and benefits.The program has just started, however already many condominiums have indicated their interest in renewing the buildings with sharing responsibilities.
he district initiated the project, the city of Budapest got to the program as a quality measure monitoring and as main financing body. RÉV8 is the project manager company with social workers and other professionals.

Local residents, local school and local civil groups join in for the success.Private investors are not interested in such a run-down area, so local businessmen and craftsmen are targeted.

To enhance responsibility and self-respect (In Budapest, not immigrants, but roma population exists.)

The development of a sustainable social housing stock with the participation of the tenants was the prioritygiven to physical strategy..

The program started after that the 2001-2006 EU funds have been exhausted.

The project has not got to the end, so only partial results can be seen at this point. Key results until now are the interest of the tenants toward a better living environment. Those results are conform to expectations.
Involvement of the people and highly effective and professional project organisation as well as large enough initial funding are key factors contributed to the success of the project.

City of Budapest, Deputy Mayor’s Office for Urban Development, Management and Social Affairs
Hungary
http://www.budapest.hu
Ms Éva Beleznay (Head of Office, Policy Officer of Urban Development)

RÉV8 Project Company
Hungary
http://www.rev8.hu
Mr György Alföldi (CEO)

01/01/2005

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Mr György Alföldi

research

Urban Policy