City of Riga

The City and its environment

Riga, the Latvian capital, is the largest city in the Baltic States and the most important Latvian cultural and educational centre. It is situated on the both banks of the Daugava 13 km from its estuary into the Gulf of Riga. Riga developed into a metropolis last century and in the beginning of this century. Whereas the majority of the city’s space is covered by greenery, woods and water, 28 percent are built-up areas. Most of the outstanding jugendstyle heritage is located around the medieval Hansa inner city which serves as the economic centre. Vehicle construction, precision instrument-making and radio electronics were the main branches developed in Riga during the period of 1950-1990. Today Riga has a large Russian speaking minority of app. 50%. The future of the large scale heavy industry is uncertain, however, trade and services began to develop after independence. The port remains an important economic asset.

The municipality aims at improving the cities infrastructure with credits from international financial institutions. Work on a development plan was started in 1994. It aims at an urban mixture of functions as the economic base of the city. In the project " Vision and strategies around Baltics 2010" Riga is seen as a centre of European importance in the Baltic Sea region.

Housing situation and large housing estates

Riga’s housing stock includes a remarkable heritage of 19 th century and beginning of 20 th century and large housing estates. As maintenance backlogs are widespread, attention should be paid to all types of housing areas. However, land reform, restitution, privatisation, infrastructure, environment as well as of housing managment and maintenance, amount to an overwhelming problem hampering the improvement of the physical condition of buildings. Since 1991 new construction does not compensate the deterioration and conversion to office use of the existing stock. At present, the pressure on the market has lowered considerably due to a remarkable increase in housing costs and a decrease in income of large groups of population. The demand for social housing is expected to after 2000, when free rent price may be introduced in the restituted sector. As yet, most of residents accept the large estates. Plans for new social housing are not considered but the city development plan envisages the development and redevelopment of 1,000 ha for low density housing.

Problems and areas requiring action

• High service costs are above the affordability for an average income household. To meet the needs of shelter, parts of the population have to reduce consumption of consumer goods considerably.
• Deterioration of buildings and technical infrastructure (water supply, sewage and heating pipes).
• Privatisation started in 1997 leading to an atomised ownership structure.
• Uncertainty about land use rights, estates managment and maintenance of housing stock after privatisation.
• The city’s priority actions:
  - reconstruction of the central heating system,
  - insulation and repair of prefabricated dwelling houses.
  - elaboration of a municipal housing policy: selection of priorities and strategies,
  - development of residents self-help activities and their implementation into public programmes for estate improvement.

Actors and activities

Among the main activities of the city municipality are planning and the management of relations between public service providers and their private customers. The municipal housing maintenance offices are rearranging their activities towards market relations and customer orientation. Especially neighbourhood activities and self-help movement are underdeveloped.

The estate "MEZCIEMS"

The estate lies app. 6 km from the city centre and is surrounded by green-land. It was built in prefabricated panel constructions between 1976-1988 adjacent to a medical centre for about 5000 patients and a large industrial gardening enterprise.

Blocks of flats owned by the municipality are mixed with co-operative housing of the same type. The estate has sufficient schools and kindergartens (including one specialised for speech therapy) and medical facilities. Shopping is provided by a local market and some small shops. The environment is dominated by open space. The landscape inside the estate is not interesting enough to be accepted as a place for outside activities. Connections towards the surrounding pine woods are underdeveloped. A quarter of private owned -family houses built in 1960's is incorporated in the estate. The latest building added to estate is a wholesale trade centre (1990 up to now) where a supermarket was planned

Physical and ecological situation

• green surroundings as an asset to the estate
• convenient public transport to city and workplaces
• problematic use of a central heat and hot-water plant far from the estate
• the estate is awaiting privatisation and thus individual activities are hampered by uncertainty about the outcomes.

Problems

• renovation of buildings (insulation against loss of heat, replacement of internal pipes, reparation of roofs)
• improvement of public space
• lack of the sense of responsibility for buildings and environment and of a feeling towards the local community
• limited financial solvency of residents; app. 25 per cent depending on social benefits
• social integration of the elderly as well as of the youth is problematic

Strategies

• the housing maintenance enterprise "Mezciems" is going to offer services to privatised flats, after some management-structural changes.
• support for local social development and for the improvement of the physical situation with the help of community oriented social work
• elaboration of an energy - saving strategy and it's implementation
• elaboration of a reconstruction strategy and its implementation
• co-operation with different institutions, local and national governments having experience in renovation of housing estates

Source: EA.UE: A future for large housing estates, Berlin 1998

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