Over $4 million allocated to upgrade border city Sderot devastated by Hamas on Oct 7
Upgrades reflect 'deep commitment to the city and its residents'
A new project to upgrade housing in the southern Israeli city of Sderot has been allocated a NIS 15 million budget (over $4 million) for an urban renewal program. This initiative addresses the growing demand for housing due to Israel's increasing population.
Last Tuesday, the Israeli Tkuma Directorate and the Ministry of Construction and Housing, with the Governmental Authority for Urban Renewal, announced the budget allocation and plans for Sderot, located close to the Gaza border.
Acting Head of the Tkumah Directorate Yossi Sheli said the initiative aims to “reduce disparities between new and old neighborhoods” by maximizing the use of current housing and optimizing land utilization.
The budget will be used to fund evacuation and construction projects, focusing on upgrading older neighborhoods and constructing thousands of new housing units.
The Jerusalem Post reported that an Urban Renewal Directorate has already been established within the Sderot Municipality at a cost of an additional NIS 4 million (nearly $1.1 million) to liaise with the community throughout the renewal process.
Sheli said the allocation of funds was a “significant step towards improving the urban and social fabric of the city.”
"The investment in the Urban Renewal Directorate will be carried out in close collaboration with the community and will ensure the realization of our vision for upgrading the city and improving the quality of life for its residents," he added.
Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf stated: "The approval of the budget for planning urban renewal complexes in the older neighborhoods of Sderot reflects our deep commitment to the city and its residents, especially during this time.”
He added, "I am confident that the investment in developing and upgrading older areas, in addition to promoting and executing new construction in the city under the roof agreement, will enable us to provide Sderot's residents with a higher quality of life."
Goldknopf assured the residents of the embattled southern city: "Our goal is to continue the process of transforming Sderot into a thriving city and to strengthen the resilience of its residents."
Alon Davidi, mayor of Sderot, expressed his hopes for the change the project will bring.
"The rapid development and massive renewal taking place in Sderot's older neighborhoods, through which residents will enjoy new buildings, more spacious apartments with significantly higher value, well-maintained gardens, and a new and green environment, are an integral part of our immense investment and the allocation of substantial resources to strengthen community resilience."
"Despite the challenges we've faced and continue to face, Sderot is constantly renewing and developing, enjoying positive migration and wonderful residents," Davidi continued.
"We will ensure that all residents, both old and new, will enjoy living in Sderot, with new commercial areas, vast parks, and diverse housing options. Thanks to all our partners in government ministries, the Ministry of Housing, and the Tkuma Directorate."
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Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
