Housing estate regeneration continues: €2.5 million allocated for the year 2021
The Ministry for Social Accommodation announced this year’s investment of €2.5 million for the regeneration of 40 social housing blocks. Therefore, since the beginning of the legislature, the government will have invested around €12 million in these works.
During a press conference, Minister for Social Accommodation Roderick Galdes announced that as part of a holistic programme intended to revitalise existing housing stock, this year, €2.5 million have been allocated for works that will benefit around 450 families living in these areas.
Works will be carried out on six blocks in Santa Luċija, 14 blocks in Żebbuġ, seven blocks in Vittoriosa, six blocks in San Ġwann, five blocks in Luqa and two in Qormi. Maintenance and renovation works will focus on the facades, roofs, and parts of the common areas, and are expected to be completed this year.
“It is well known that this administration has made the regeneration of housing estates one of its priorities. We could have focused only on building new social housing – currently underway through the unprecedented construction of 1,700 units – but after decades of neglect, we could no longer ignore the challenge in existing buildings. Residents have expressed their concerns about the fact that the buildings they live in were built in the sixties and seventies, and since then no maintenance works have been carried out. Hence, we kickstarted an ambitious programme wherein we are taking care of our country’s’ buildings one by one, and the results are already visible,” explained Minister Galdes.
He was addressing the conference from the area of Ta’ Farsina in Qormi, an area which in recent months has seen this same kind of work on its blocks which now have been given a new look.
“Through what you can see behind me, we are spreading the message that these are not just empty promises. We have made and shall continue to make a difference in people’s lives. These buildings are government assets and it is our duty to take care of them, but more than mere assets they are homes for hundreds of families,” concluded Minister Galdes.
In addition to the renovation works programme announced today, €9,639,200 have already been invested during this legislature for works which have benefited more than 1,760 families. Between 2017 and 2020, works were carried out in various blocks including in Ħamrun, Lija, Mellieħa, Santa Luċija, Pembroke, Siġġiewi, Birkirkara, San Ġwann, Qormi, Kalkara, Paola, Tarxien, Naxxar, Cospicua, Rabat, Ta’ Ġiorni, Żejtun and Żabbar. All this translates into a total investment of more than €12 million from 2017 to date.