With 27 million euros, the state of Hesse is funding various projects with which cities and municipalities want to strengthen their centers.
These are
15 million euros more than initially planned, as reported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
110 municipalities benefited from the money.
A total of 176 municipalities had applied, as it goes on to say.
A jury decided who should get the money.
The state program “Future City Center” is fed by funds from the New Hessen Plan.
"Funding for lively centers is flowing into each of the 21 rural districts and into all five independent cities," Minister Tarek Al-Wazir (The Greens) is quoted as saying.
Mathematically, 245,000 euros are allotted to one municipality.
Municipalities could apply for up to 250,000 euros "for particularly innovative and sustainable measures to revitalize city centers and town centers".
Pop-up gallery and "city garden"
According to the ministry, the jury selected Mörfelden-Walldorf, for example.
The city is pursuing a particularly innovative approach with the “Urban Living Room”, “Outdoor Office”, “City Garden” and “Citizens' Dialogue” projects.
Another exemplary funding location is Homberg (Efze), where a diaconal center, a pop-up gallery, the “Homberger” office and the market campus are to be realized with the city center budget.
The Hesse trade association praises "the rapid allocation of funds to Hessian cities and communities". As part of the committee for the allocation of funds, the Hesse trade association was significantly involved in the selection of the respective cities and municipalities. It is for the association "to select future-proof concepts that contribute to the common goal of sustainable inner-city strengthening and involve as many actors as possible in this process," said chairman Jochen Ruths.