en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Basque Government's Department of Housing and Urban Agenda recently announced an allocation of €800,000 to expand the Opengela model and strengthen urban renewal efforts in the region. Housing and Urban Agenda Minister Denis Itxaso unveiled these plans at the opening of Opengela Day, held at the headquarters of the EDE Foundation in Bilbao.
The aid is structured under two decrees. The first tender allocates €200,000 to fund the development of local urban agendas by Basque municipalities. These agendas serve as strategic planning tools to help cities identify urban challenges, set priorities, and outline medium- and long-term action plans. The aid covers 100% of the technical assistance required to draft the documents, with a maximum of €15,000 per municipality depending on population size.
The second decree allocates €600,000 to create new Opengela offices in vulnerable communities where urban renewal actions are feasible. Each municipality can receive up to €200,000 to fully cover rental and renovation costs for office spaces, as well as technical assistance to accompany residents during the diagnosis and planning phases. Four Opengela offices are already operational in Mendelu (Hondarribia), Osintxu (Bergara), and Uretamendi and Zurbaran (Bilbao), focusing on these preliminary stages.
Since the creation of the Opengela model in 2018, the program has renovated over 2,800 homes and supported urban renewal processes in 24 neighborhoods across 21 municipalities in the Basque Country. Currently, 20 Opengela offices are operational, with four more undergoing preliminary diagnostic work. The network spans 14 projects in Gipuzkoa, 12 in Bizkaia, and 2 in Álava. Additionally, six projects focus on the restoration of urban facilities.
The department's cumulative investment has reached €199 million, with €81.6 million in Gipuzkoa, €79.6 million in Bizkaia, and €37.8 million in Álava. Results include the renovation of 264 buildings, the refurbishment of 2,810 homes, the installation of 221 elevators in 90% of intervened buildings, and direct benefits for 6,463 people. Opengela has handled nearly 50,000 inquiries and granted 557 individual aid packages to homeowners in particularly vulnerable situations, totaling €7.6 million. In terms of energy, the program has improved energy consumption in 98% of the intervened buildings.
Next Generation EU funds provided €39 million as a tool to accelerate the energy renovation and urban transformation of buildings in various Basque communities. These resources support projects that combine sustainability, accessibility, and social cohesion. Starting from two pilot projects in Txonta (Eibar) and Otxarkoaga (Bilbao), Opengela has evolved into a network of 28 urban renewal projects across the Basque Country, based on accessible offices, institutional collaboration, and resident participation.
