Calcalist, Ronen Niv , 09.09.2020
Anyone who has recently had the opportunity to Ashdod can not help but notice the tremendous development momentum that afflicts the sixth largest city in Israel: from the construction of a port, hotels and a developing marina, through a new high-tech district to be built and of course - renewal of the city's old neighborhoods.
According to data from the Urban Renewal Directorate in Ashdod, which was established in 2018 and coordinates activities in the field, 322 TMA projects are being promoted throughout the city. Most of the projects are in the process of strengthening and adding (38/1), with about 7,000 existing housing units in buildings. The next leap is about 5,500 new housing units. The leap forward in everything related to NAP 38 in Ashdod is also reflected in the shortening of the time required to issue a building permit - from 2.9 years in 2018 to 2.6 years last year - with the municipality declaring that the schedules will continue Shrink.
As for evacuation-construction projects, 21 plans (including approved plans) are currently being promoted in Ashdod, amounting to 17,412 housing units - of which 198 housing units are already under construction and another 850 housing units are in deposit procedures. Here, too, it is a leap compared to 2018, when the scope of projects was less than 14,000 housing units.
"As a city whose first neighborhoods were established decades ago, we are required to provide solutions to those old buildings that are no longer habitable," says Ashdod Deputy Mayor Engineer Shimon Katzenelson, who also serves as chairman of the City Building Committee. Has experienced quite a few launches from the Gaza Strip, the need for urban renewal in Ashdod is a safety necessity. "Resources that will protect missiles and earthquakes are the order of the day, and this critical issue must not be delayed."
Katznelson also refers to the urban renewal policy led by the municipality, and says, “In close cooperation with Mayor Dr. Yehiel Lasri, we are moving in two main axes. Our first and foremost axis is the promotion of evacuation-construction projects or rather construction-evacuation, in the way that the construction of the new buildings is actually carried out before the demolition of the old buildings. Thus, the profit belongs to everyone: in the case of the owners of the old apartments, the security increases and the fears disperse, while the developer is not obligated to evict the tenants and the rental expenses are saved from him.
"And yet, it is clear to all of us that urban renewal from a complex is not possible in every neighborhood and not in every street. Here the alternative is to turn to the TMA axis and produce an appropriate response to those point buildings as well. For this reason, we are considering extending the validity of the program in Ashdod beyond its end date in 2022. "It is important for us to allow those projects that have already been launched to be realized, with the clear goal of protecting those apartments without security, renovating and rehabilitating them.
The spirit of development in Ashdod also comes from the direction of the Government Authority for Urban Renewal, where they are closely following what is happening in the city: This is happening thanks to the dedicated work of the mayor, Dr. Yechiel Lasri and the team of the Urban Renewal Administration in Ashdod, headed by Lior Levy. We will continue to invest financially and professionally in Ashdod. "
Increase the rights bank
The importance of urban renewal projects for the growth of Ashdod is also well understood by the players operating in the city. "In Ashdod, there are almost no land reserves available, so construction is draining into urban renewal projects," explains Ashdod lawyer Teddy Menashe, owner of Teddy Menashe & Co. Law Offices. “These ventures also have a social line, as they create a horizon for homeowners to improve their quality of life.
"As a resident of the city and as someone who knows the diverse local population closely, for me Ashdod is a microcosm of the State of Israel. The various residents, of all ages and sectors, understand the benefits that urban renewal offers, and they are the ones seeking to start projects and work together.
Adv. Teddy Menashe. "For the sake of shortening the schedules - increase the control and supervision of the permit issuance process"
As someone who accompanies both tenants and entrepreneurs in dozens of projects in the city, Menashe welcomes the establishment of the principal "consisting of worthy professionals with a door open to all, and a genuine desire to neutralize tangles, bridge and assist." Menashe also has an optimization proposal for the city captains: "The engineering department is measured by skilled manpower and response time. This is true for Ashdod and it is true for any other city. When a particular project needs repairs, it is important not only to point out problems but also suggest solutions.
The permit issuance process for the TMA 38 project must be shortened from years to months, otherwise it is illogical, uneconomical and does not benefit any of the factors of urban renewal. I believe that with continuous control and supervision of all the parties involved in the process, it will be possible to indicate where and with whom the permits are delayed, and accordingly streamline the bureaucracy. "
Menashe also has something to say about the continuation of TMA 38 in Ashdod: "It is clear to everyone that construction-evacuation is the preferred option, and it provides a comprehensive solution both at the residential and envelope level, but in practice it is only applicable in a few complexes in the city. At the same time, many buildings are directed to the route of TMA 38, but reality shows that these projects are not always economically viable. True, there are profitable projects but there are also borderline projects, when there is a glass ceiling that can not be exceeded.
Urban renewal in Ashdod. Gets sub-validated against the background of the fact that the roof agreement is still far from being implemented Photo: Real Estate Arena System
"In order to increase the volumes of activity and attract more entrepreneurs to the field, the required step is to prepare a local master plan that will replace TMA 38 - it will be accompanied by legislation in the field of taxation and will increase the rights bank considerably. Such a plan will, of course, require a planning-spatial vision, and I believe that it can take urban renewal in Ashdod one step further. "
"The need for urban renewal in Ashdod is significant, we all understand this, especially when we take into account that the roof agreement is still far from being realized," Katzenelson concludes. "Over the next decade we will see more and more projects in this framework, and thanks to them it will be possible to increase the supply of apartments in the city and vacate areas for environmental-public development. .