Francesca Nicolò on "Evaluation of structural funds programs of the European Union. The study case of Reggio Calabria: two different seasons, two different leadership, and two different groups of results"

1. Seventh International Conference on
INFORMATICS AND URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING
Planning Support Tools: Policy Analysis, Implementation and Evaluation
Cagliari, 10 – 12 Maggio 2012
Assessment of Public Programs
Evaluation of structural funds programs of the
European Union. The study case of Reggio Calabria:
two different seasons, two different leadership, and
two different groups of results.
Francesca Nicolò

2. AIM OF THE PAPER
TO EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS PROGRAMS ON
URBAN FORM, PROCESS AND EVOLUTION IN THE CITY OF REGGIO
CALABRIA
synonymous with marginality, URBAN DECAY, backwardness,
UNAUTHORIZED BUILDING, welfarism, INEFFICIENCY of the Public
Administration and of essential public services, MAFIA, resignation and
STANDING TOWN?
or synonymous with a reality that could be the center of the
Mediterranean, SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE,
growth contrary to expectations, MOVEMENTS AGAINST MAFIA, and
REDISCOVERED CAPACITY ON PLANNING?
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3. SUMMARY
The study case: the city of Reggio Calabra
Urban framework
Evaluation of structural funds programs
Methodological notes
Round 1994-1999
Rounds 2000-2006, 2007-2013
Final reflections
Evolution/involution of the local capacity on planning
Two different city models
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4. THE CITY OF REGGIO CALABRIA
A SINGULAR, AND AT THE SAME TIME, A CENTRAL PLACE
Because of:
- the physical space within which it is placed (on one hand the Massive
Aspromonte, on the other the Strait of Messina);
- its history of South Italy centre: it was a greek colony (Reghion), founded around
the 8th century b.C., but it has been hit several times by earthquakes (1783,
1908);
- its social and economic problems which reflect, and in part exacerbate, regional
trends such as those related to:
- youth unemployment (67,4%);
- failure to take off in the industrial sector;
- difficult conversion of the economy towards tourism (focused only during
the summer, inadequate links).
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5. THE CITY OF REGGIO CALABRIA: URBAN FRAMEWORK
A DEVELOPMENT ALWAYS FOREORDAINED TO UTOPIAN PROJECTS NEVER FULLY
UNDERSTOOD: THE “GREAT REGGIO” (1920), THE NEW GENERAL PLAN (1970),
THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF THE STRAIT (2009).
THE CONSEQUENCE: 3.000.000 CUBIC METERS OF HOUSING BUILT ILLEGALLY
which means:
- absence of forms of control in site selection;
- absence of quality of building tipologies;
- an urban landscape made by block houses and “unfinished”;
- absence of essential public services and relation spaces;
- difficulties in connecting the different parts of the territory;
-increase in pollution (air and marine).
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6. URBAN FRAMEWORK: ANALYZED INITIATIVES AND NEW DEVELOPMENT
PATHS
1975-2011: INITIATIVES MULTIPLY AND INTERTWINE THEMSELVES WITH
INNOVATIONS FROM THE LEGISLATIVE POINT OF VIEW.
1989-2001
THE REGGIO DECREE AND THE FIRST ROUND OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS:
L.246/89, REGGIO DECREE
URBAN, 1994
LACIO GAVE INTEGRA, 1997
CDQ TREMULINI-BORRACE, 1998
1975-1989 TERRITORIAL PACT FOR THE AREA OF THE STRAIT, 2001
APPROVAL OF THE
GENERAL PLAN AND
UNAUTHORIZED
BUILDING
2008- 2011
TOWARDS THE SP, AND NEW URBAN
POLICIES:
PLAN FOR THE PROVINCE, 2008
REGIUM WATERFRONT, 2009
REGIONAL TERRITORIAL PLAN, 2009
2002-2007
SECOND ROUND OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS AND INITIATIVES:
L.19/2002, REGIONAL PLANNING LAW
PSU, 2002
RIURB RAVAGNESE, 2003
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BEGINNING OF THE ITER FOR THE SP, 2004
PIT 22, 2005
STRATEGIC PLAN, 2007

7. EVALUATION OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS PROGRAMS_METHODOLOGICAL NOTES
THE TERRITORIALIST APPROACH TO LOCAL DEVELOPMENT
“Without going into the conceptual and terminological differences […] is
immediately clear that local development is seen not only as a process of growth
of an industry or aggregation of local companies, but as a process of territorial
development, based on sustainable exploitation of tangible and intangible
resources present in a certain territory, which also involves social and cultural
sphere and subjects’ self-organization ability” (Dematteis, Governa, 2005).
ISSUES CONSIDERED:
• GOALS
• PROMOTER AND INVOLVED SUBJECTS
• VISION OF THE TERRITORY
• DEPARTURE CONDITIONS
• MOBILISED RESOURCES
• ROLE OF THE PROJECT WITH RESPECT TO OTHER PROGRAMS
• TERRITORIAL IMPACTS
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8. EVALUATION OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS PROGRAMS: ROUND 1994-1999
1994-
TERRITORIAL PACT FOR THE AREA OF THE STRAIT
VILLA SAN GIUSEPPE
URBAN- Northen suburbs
TREMULINI
RAVAGNESE-ARANGEA
S.CATERINA
GALLICO
CATONA CENTRO
STORICO
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LACIO GAVE – Southern suburbs
GEBBIONE-
SBARRE

9. EVALUATION OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS PROGRAMS: ROUNDS 2000-2006,
2000-
2007-
2007-2013
PIT 22_INTEGRATED DISTRICT
STRATEGIC PLAN 2007-2013
VILLA SAN GIUSEPPE
TREMULINI
S.CATERINA RAVAGNESE-ARANGEA
GALLICO
CATONA CENTRO
STORICO
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PSU
GEBBIONE-
SBARRE

10. ROUND 1994-1999: THE FIRST MAYORS’ SEASON AND THE “REGGIO
1994-1999:
SPRING” AS A DISRUPTIVE ELEMENT INTO A PROGRESSIVE DISINTEGRATION
MECHANISM OF THE CITY
GOALS: recovery of degraded areas, social integration, the Straits city
PROMOTER AND INVOLVED SUBJECTS: Institutions, Academic world, business
organizations, Third sector, private citizens, ‘ndrangheta
VISION OF THE TERRITORY: positive despite the extreme decay and marginality
MOBILISED RESOURCES: all, tangible and intangible
TERRITORIAL IMPACTS: positive and found in most
POSITIVE RESULTS NEGATIVE ELEMENTS
Growth of local administration; Urban: the case of the Park
Ecolandia;
Rapprochement of citizens to local
authority; Wrecked attempt of general
variant to PRG (1995).
Greater sinergy between public and
private subjects.
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11. ROUNDS 2000-2006, 2007-2013: THE REGGIO MODEL, THE DEFECTS OF
2000- 2007-
THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGE.
GOALS: recovery of the whole municipal territory, social integration,
enhancement of the role of the city within the Mediterranean basin
PROMOTER AND INVOLVED SUBJECTS: Institutions, Academic world, business
organizations, Third sector, private citizens, ‘ndrangheta
VISION OF THE TERRITORY: positive despite the extreme decay and marginality
MOBILISED RESOURCES: all, tangible and intangible
TERRITORIAL IMPACTS: not detectable considering the ongoing state of projects
POSITIVE RESULTS NEGATIVE ELEMENTS
Growth of local Absence of knowledge of overall city
administration; problems;
Absence of a strategic developmen vision;
Greater sinergy between Patronage in the construction of the arena
public and private subjects. decision;
Inability to manage the vast area;
Absence of corrective and general variants to
PRG;
Persistence of urban decay and social
problems.
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12. FINAL REFLECTIONS_1: EVOLUTION/INVOLUTION OF THE LOCAL
CAPACITY ON PLANNING
1989-2011: INITIATIVES MULTIPLY BUT THEY BECOME A DODGE TO FIND
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC RESOURCES , EVEN IF, TODAY, A NEW POSSIBLE PATH OF
DEVELOPMENT OPENS: LAW N.19/2002, THE NEW STRUCTURAL PLAN AND THE
PROVINCIAL PLAN.
1989-2001
THE “REGGIO SPRING”
1975-1989
THE GENERAL
PLAN AND THE
WILD
URBANIZATION
2008- 2011
TOWARDS THE
STRUCTURAL PLAN, AND
NEW URBAN POLICIES
2002-2007
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CONFIRMATION OF ALL THE
STEREOTYPES ON SOUTH ITALY

13. FINAL REFLECTIONS_2: TWO DIFFERENT CITY MODELS
THE MODEL OF THE SPRING THE REGGIO MODEL
1989-2001 2002-2011
RC - SUSTAINABLE CITY RC - EMBLEM OF A “QUESTION”
THAT PASSES TROUGH THE
..so city that is/that: FRAGILITY OF THE ACTORS OF THE
- home of legalty and antimafia GOVERNMENT AND THE
movements; DEVELOPMENT OF
TRANSFORMATIONS
- alternative, multicultural and
owned; …so city that is/where:
- home of ephemeral entertainment;
- invests for its future on young
people and training; - already inherent problems persist
and aggravate themselves;
- takes care of its urban
environment. - suburb of the suburbs.
THE QUESTION IS: WHICH OF THE TWO MODELS WILL BE REPEATED NOW THAT
THE CYCLE OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS 2007-2013 IS RUNNING OUT?
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14. Thanks for attention
Any questions?
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