Municipalities receive 186 million euros for urban development

The state of Saxony and the European Union will support 36 municipalities in the Free State in the coming years in urban development with about 186 million euros. With the money, they can further improve housing and living conditions in previously disadvantaged urban neighborhoods, the Ministry of Regional Development announced in Dresden on Wednesday. "The funds are intended to address urban development, ecological, demographic, economic, cultural and social deficits."

"The fact that Saxony has been able to develop so successfully over the past three decades is also thanks to the European Union. In fact, since 1991, a total of more than 20 billion euros have flowed into Saxony," explained Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU). The improvements would be visible and tangible for many people and thus also stand for a Europe that is close to its citizens. "We need a strong EU that is close to its citizens. It is important for all of us."

The funds come from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and from the Free State. According to the assessment of Regional Development Minister Thomas Schmidt (CDU), the ERDF urban development since 2000 can look back on a large number of successful projects and has since then also repeatedly adapted to current challenges. "The unbroken high interest of cities from all regions of Saxony shows that there is still a need for EU funding. The success is based not least also on the versatile funding options that the program offers and thus opens up a broad scope of action for the cities."

In the current funding period, the regions of Chemnitz and Dresden will receive 163.6 million euros and the Leipzig area 22.1 million euros. The money is to be used by municipalities to support projects such as reducing CO2 emissions, improving urban ecology and measures for the social and economic revitalization of disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. The 36 cities that received funding notifications include Borna, Chemnitz, Reichenbach and Weißwasser.