On March 12, 2025, in Rome, a crucial meeting was held among the competent ministers of the Government and the mayors of the 7 cities selected for the implementation of the so -called Caivano bis decree. It was an opportunity to take stock of the elaboration of the extraordinary plans which, in the next 3 years, will have to transform the neighborhoods of 7 selected cities, because they are marked by degradation, insecurity And marginality.
The decree law, approved on 31 December 2024, extends to other Italian realities the model already experienced in Caivano (Municipality of Naples) and provides for a total funding of 180 million euros to the development and cohesion funds.
It will serve to regenerate neighborhoods through urban redevelopment works, safety principals, spaces for sociality, sport and culture, with an integrated approach that will have to return dignity, opportunities and legality to territories for too long abandoned.
What does the Caivano bis decree provide for
At the center of the project is the figure of the extraordinary commissioner Fabio Cicilianoin charge of outlining and implementing, in collaboration with local authorities and institutions, a series of strategic plans distributed over a 3 -year period.
The decree aims to be three main objectives:
- urban regeneration;
- the enhancement of safety;
- the promotion of social inclusion.
The funds allocated will be used to carry out projects ranging from recovery of buildings And Infrastructures for social usesto the reclamation of contaminated areas abusive houses or illegal settlements, up to the creation of new spaces for training, sporting and artistic activities, for the benefit of the whole community.
This integrated approach aims not only to rehabilitate the appearance of the neighborhoods, but also to transform the social fabric, generating opportunities for inclusion and contrasting phenomena such as organized crime and urban degradation.
The neighborhoods involved by the projects
The intervention focuses on 7 cities with critical realities, each with specific peculiarities and needs. The 180 million euros will be of the detail used for:
- Rome, in the Alexandrine and Quarticciolo;
- Naples, in Scampia and Secondigliano;
- Foggia, in Orta Nova;
- Reggio Calabria, in Rosarno and San Ferdinando;
- Catania, in San Cristoforo;
- Palermo, in Borgo Nuovo;
- Milan, in Rozzano.
Rome
For the two neighborhoods of the capital, between fears linked to a possible militarization of the territory, the action plan provides for investments in infrastructures dedicated mainly to young people.
The creation of nursery schools, equipped areas and sports facilities represents a concrete response to the needs of a population often discouraged by lacking services. The intervention intends to transform the perception of the neighborhood, aiming to make the spaces open places of growth, aggregation and safety.
Naples
In Scampia and Secondigliano the investment, estimated at around 50 million euros, promises to be one of the most ambitious projects. The reclamation of the area occupied by the Roma camp in via Cupa Perillo marks the beginning of a transformation that aims to convert a space symbol of abandonment in an area where culture, sport and security coexist.
The construction of a rugby field, managed by the Fiamme Oro, and the regeneration of the Berlingieri district are interventions which, while radically modifying the appearance of the area, have as primary objective the recovery of dignity and the redemption of the local community.
Foggia
In Orta Nova, attention is mainly paid to improving safety and legality. The redevelopment of the property intended for the new carabinieri estate represents a symbolic intervention to strengthen the presence of the state in an area marked by episodes of illegality and lack of order.
The goal is to create an environment in which citizens and institutions can openly dialogue to build a future based on mutual trust.
Reggio Calabria
Between Rosarno and San Ferdinando the decree intervenes incisively to transform what Giorgia Meloni defined as “a ghetto, a frank zone”. The demolition of the tent cities and the subsequent reclamation of the area will offer the opportunity to create dignified homes for seasonal agricultural laborers, thus helping to restore a community too long marginalized the possibility of a better life.
Catania
In San Cristoforo the redevelopment will be concentrated in particular on via Playa, with the aim of improving the livability and services offered to residents. The intervention will not be limited to simple maintenance works but will include a rethinking of the entire neighborhood, transforming it into an urban intervention model that can be replicated in other similar realities.
Palermo
The maintenance and restoration of the Church of San Paolo Apostolo, a historical symbol of the Borgo Nuovo district, represent an intervention of strong social and cultural impact. After more than twenty years of abandonment, the recovery of this building will favor the rediscovery of local history and traditions, strengthening the cultural identity of the community.
Milan
The only location in Northern Italy included in the Caivano Bis project is an example of active and collective participation. The advanced proposals for Rozzano are the result of an inclusive path that involved all citizens. Among the numerous ideas, that of the construction of a gym, inspired by the boxing champion Daniele Scardina – known as King Toretto – takes on a symbolic value.
The gym will not only be a place dedicated to sport, but will become a multifunctional center where people with disabilities will also have the opportunity to train and develop their skills, with a view to social inclusion and enhancement of individual potential.
The challenge of participation and consent
A decisive element of the success of the intervention will be the ability to actively involve communities local. The participatory process, already testified in Rozzano, must be extended to all the realities concerned. Only through the dialogue between institutions, citizens and territorial associations will it be possible to define plans that really respond to the needs of the population. The transformation of critical areas also passes from the enhancement of human capital and the promotion of a culture of legality and collective responsibility.
With targeted investments and a participatory approach, the strategy aims not only to regenerate the physical spaces, but to create one New social narrativemade of security, inclusion and civilization. The hope is that, in addition to improving the appearance of the neighborhoods, this initiative can become a replicable model for other areas in crisis, thus contributing to strengthening the social fabric and promoting the sustainable and harmonious development of the entire nation.
