By PEGGY CIDOR20:20:20 visionA new plan to encourage young people and families to stay in Jerusalem has been launched this week. Mayor Nir Barkat revealed his plan at a press conference held on Sunday. According to the plan, called “20:20:20,” from now on every housing project that includes more than 20 apartments will designate 20 percent of its area for affordable housing, which will cost 20 percent less than the average market price.The project will also be proposed to entrepreneurs who are stuck with luxury housing projects that are not being sold due to the economic situation (by dividing the apartments to make them reach the maximum area allowed – 100 sq.m.). The apartments will be sold to young couples who are working and can repay loans, and there will be strict control to prevent any cases of speculation (no possibility to sell the apartments within less than seven years, for example).Sources at Kikar Safra say the whole project is a huge step in enabling young people to afford suitable housing in the city and thus slow down or stop completely their plans to leave the city. The project still requires the approval of the city council.Forming an anti-ColonyOn Friday morning, a new struggle by the residents of the German Colony began. A model of the massive Colony Hotel, the new hotel planned at the entrance to Emek Refaim, was revealed to the public. The model clearly indicated that the hotel would dwarf the exquisite old buildings from the Templer period there, causing serious harm to the neighborhood’s special character. The German Colony residents are used to public battles with the establishment. Backed by the local neighborhood council, they are determined not to let the new project spoil their neighborhood.During the few hours that the model was being shown to the public, many stopped, inquired and agreed to sign a petition against it. Many commented that after the Holyland scandal, people are paying more attention to construction projects and their consequences. Quite a few of the petitioners predicted that their chances of succeeding – or at least minimizing the damage – look good due to massive mobilization of the residents.Night ridersThe Night Lines, the special bus lines that operate on Saturday nights to provide safe transportation for teens after the regular buses have stopped, are broadening their service for the summer vacation. As of Sunday, Egged will add 350 bus lines and will operate on week nights as well. This service will continue until August 31. The lines operate between neighborhoods and entertainment areas in the city center until the wee hours. Ticket fares will remain the same. Among the locations served are Neveh Ya’acov, Ma’aleh Adumim, Gilo, Mevaseret Zion, Kiryat Menahem and Har Homa. The service is aimed at decreasing the number of road accidents, as well diminishing the danger of taking rides with strangers late at night.Short summer recessFollowing a promising first try last summer, the municipal EducationDepartment announced this week that the summer vacation forkindergarten will be shortened. This provides some relief for theparents, who had to spend a lot of money on alternate solutions fortheir children while they were at work.In July, 80 kindergartens – secular and religious – will be open at noextra cost. Next year, the program will be extended to all thekindergartens in the city.Feathering the culture coffers Mayor Nir Barkat continues to support the cultural budget of the city.From now on, all the cultural institutions operating in the city willbe exempted from 50 percent of the municipal property taxes (arnona).This decision will add NIS 2 million to the Culture Department’sbudget, which has already doubled since Barkat took office a year and ahalf ago. One can only hope that this money will find its way back tothe residents, such as a reduction in tickets prices for culturalevents.Parlez-vous francais? The seventh French Film Festival is here, co-sponsored by the FrenchCultural Center (Romain Gary Center) at Kikar Safra and the JerusalemFilm Archive (Cinematheque). Until June 27, aficionados of Frenchculture will be treated to a large selection of the most highlyacclaimed French films. The festival will include a special homage tothe late singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg.Info: www.jer-cin.org.ilHouse of cardsOnly a few members of the city council realized thesignificance of a discreet announcement made this week by themunicipality. According to the notification, the Prazot state housingcompany was to be dismantled and its assets (about NIS 120 million)divided equally between the two shareholders – the Finance Ministry andthe municipality. Asked by city council member Meir Margalit (Meretz)what would be done with the money, Mayor Barkat, so explained Margalit,said it would be used for the affordable housing initiative that wasrecently launched.“I’m outraged!” said Margalit. “There is no connection between theobjectives of Prazot and the affordable housing project. This willdeprive underprivileged residents of their last hope of having a roofover their heads, while affordable housing is geared for people whowork and make a good living and can take out loans and purchaseproperties.”According to the regulations, the city council must approve thedecision at its next meeting on June 24, otherwise it will be canceledautomatically.
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