My Neighborhood
Description of the action and objectives
Green Deal action
My Neighborhood is a collaborative project between residents and the City administration. It offers residents the opportunity to influence their immediate surroundings by submitting ideas for new and smaller projects in all districts of Reykjavík. The consultation project is fundamentally about prioritizing funds for projects, often referred to as a participatory budgeting scheme. The idea is to activate the public in democratic debate and decision-making. The available funds are divided among the districts, partly evenly, but also according to population size
Implementation period
Planned completion in the second half of 2024
Status report on January 1, 2024
A total of 62 projects were selected in the vote throughout Reykjavík in 2023. The detailed design phase of the selected projects has been ongoing for several months, with tenders planned for March. A project supervisor has been appointed. Once the tender is complete, development will begin. Funding for the developments was allocated over the years 2024-2025, so projects chosen in 2023 will start this year and continue into next year.
Older status reports
| Timing | Progress description | |
| July 2023 | The vote for My Neighborhood takes place from September 14 to 28, 2023. All people aged 15 and over who are legally resident in Reykjavík can vote. The voting is online and users must identify themselves with an electronic ID or IceKey. | |
| January 2023 | A record-breaking 1,715 ideas were submitted for My Neighborhood 2022-2023. Never before have we received so many ideas during the idea generation. Following the idea generation phase, the ideas have been reviewed, and the ballots are now being prepared. From the approved ideas, the top fifteen popular ones from each neighborhood move forward automatically. An additional ten ideas are chosen by each neighborhood's residents' council. The vote will take place next fall, after which the ideas will be put up for tender and then into development. | |
| July 2022 | During the idea generation for My Neighborhood 2020–2021, we received 1320 proposals — a record number. Following the idea generation, we reviewed the ideas and arranged a ballot that was open to public and online meetings with the Residents' Council of each district. Voting began on September 30 and ended at noon on October 14, with voter turnout across Reykjavík hitting 16.4%. The tendering of construction and idea implementations is currently underway, aiming to be completed by the end of 2022. |
Related actions
| Action name | Completion | Departments |
|---|---|---|
| My Neighborhood | Ongoing | Human Rights & Democracy Office Department of Environment & Planning |
| Reykjavík Rainbow Certification | Ongoing | Human Rights & Democracy Office |
| Reykjavík City's Action Plan Against Violence 2022-2024 | 2024 | Human Rights & Democracy Office |
| Inclusion, immigrants, and origin | Ongoing | Human Rights & Democracy Office |
| Accessibility and disabled people | Ongoing | Human Rights & Democracy Office |
| Provision of information in English | 2023 | Department of Welfare Department of Service & Innovation |
A City for People
- 1. For All of Us | The Green Deal Residents' well-being and the feeling of belonging in Reykjavík.
- 2. Let Dreams Come True | The Green Deal Children and adolescents let their dreams come true.
- 3. Culture and arts will be integrated into city life | Green Deal Everyone has equal opportunities to participate in and enjoy culture and arts.
- 4. Sports for all | Green Deal Most people regularly engage in sports or other physical activities.
- 5. Improved public health | Green Deal A health-promoting, sustainable, and diverse community.
- 6. Human rights, increased participation, and improved conversations with residents | Green Deal Residents have the opportunity to work with the City to improve their quality of life.