(haipo) Residents of the Savyoni Danya neighborhood in Haifa are continuing their fight against the new construction plan planned for the neighborhood, which threatens to change its character and turn it, they say, into another Vardia quarry. The residents claim that the planned construction will cause serious harm to the quality of life, create unbearable traffic congestion, and lead to overcrowding and a decrease in the value of apartments. The fight is currently underway in full force, with objections to the plan now open, and the final decision is expected to be made by the District Committee.
Another claim is that the planned construction will result in the felling of about 400 trees. Instead of a green lung, we will get a number of high-rise buildings, some with more than 20 floors, where thousands of residents will live. The residents claim that it is impossible to convert 400 trees into gray buildings and dramatically destroy their quality of life.
Comparison to the Vardiya Quarry – a scenario the neighborhood seeks to prevent
The current struggle in Savyoni Danya reminds residents of what happened about a decade ago in the Vardiya neighborhood, where massive construction involving quarrying took place in the mountain, resulting in the creation of a quarry that harmed the quality of life of the neighborhood's residents. Savyoni Danya residents are seeking to prevent a similar scenario, and warn that the planned construction will cause environmental, transportation, and social damage.
The final decision will be made by the district committee.
The local committee recommended submitting the construction plan, but subject to several conditions, including a limit on the number of new apartments (up to 500 units) and the construction of a road connecting the neighborhoods only after 30% of the construction is complete. The final decision will be made by the district committee, which is expected to discuss transportation issues and the impact on the environment.
Addition of 630 housing units – a dramatic change in a small neighborhood
An addition of over 50% to the existing number of apartments in the neighborhood
According to the residents, if the Yuval Alon company is approved to build 630 housing units, this would be an addition of over 50% to the existing number of apartments in the neighborhood, which currently has about 1,000 units. Such an addition is expected to burden the infrastructure, create traffic congestion, and harm the quality of life of all residents.
At the entrance to the Oscar 7 mall, adjacent to the neighborhood, an information stand has been set up where leaflets are being distributed to residents. The leaflets call on residents not to give up and to submit objections to the plan, as it is still unclear what the final plan will be and how many housing units will be approved for construction. The activists emphasize that this is a critical moment in the struggle, and that public involvement can influence decisions.
Action Committee Chairman Avi Sandovsky: "All residents of the neighborhood will be harmed by the planned construction"
Action Committee Chairman Avi Sandovsky explained today the committee's continued action: "On 04/11/2025, it will no longer be possible to submit objections to the plan. We intend to submit the objection on behalf of the Savyoni Danya neighborhood action committee by the end of October. Just this week we met with the professionals on the subject. It is important to understand that in addition to the neighborhood objection, there are also residents from the neighborhood who have submitted private objections, and that is excellent."
"Along with the objections, we are also engaged in outreach," Avi adds. "This week we met with residents of two buildings at the beginning of Oskar Schindler Street. There are people in the neighborhood who mistakenly think that the construction will mainly affect those who live in the inner part of the neighborhood. We showed the residents of Oskar Schindler that one of the planned buildings is a 22-story building on Mendel Singer Street. Professional calculations show that such a building will affect what residents of Oskar Schindler will see from the window, not to mention that it will change the overall appearance of the neighborhood. It is important to us that residents of the neighborhood understand that such massive construction will affect every resident in the neighborhood. Of course, those who live really close to the construction will be affected more, but this is a struggle for the entire neighborhood."
Sandovsky also notes that if you walk through the neighborhood, you can see signs indicating that residents are trying to sell their homes. Of course, this is not the only neighborhood where residents are selling their own condominiums, and at the same time, the question arises whether it is now possible to sell condominiums in Savyoni Danya and whether the price of the condominium may be affected by the fact that construction is planned in the neighborhood.
In conclusion, he explains that the action committee has several goals, the most significant of which are reducing the number of single-family homes to be built in the neighborhood to a minimum and not allowing construction in the neighborhood without building an additional exit road to the Ramat Alon neighborhood. "It's scary to think what will happen in the neighborhood if heavy vehicles drive on Mendel Singer Street for construction and block the main road in the neighborhood. A double exit will allow both building and not turning the neighborhood into one big traffic jam."
The transportation issue – an additional road as a condition for completing construction
One of the main issues in the struggle is transportation. Currently, the Savyoni Danya neighborhood has only one exit, and the planned construction requires the construction of another road that will connect the neighborhood to the Ramat Alon neighborhood. The path has already been approved, but the barriers must be removed to allow vehicle traffic. Ramat Alon residents oppose the construction of the road, claiming that it will harm the neighborhood's peace and the value of the apartments, and will even seriously damage the forest that separates the neighborhoods. They are proposing an alternative route that does not pass through their neighborhood.
Cooperation between the House Committees – an organized and focused struggle
The Savyoni Danya neighborhood is characterized by high-rise buildings, and the struggle is being managed by a central committee assisted by the housing committees. Signs have been hung on each building with information about the planned construction, the committee's activities, and the next steps. The goal is to enlist the residents both to finance the cost of the struggle and to actively participate in it. This is a broad community struggle, uniting all residents of the neighborhood around a common goal.
Possible damage to the value of apartments – a real concern among residents
One of the main concerns of the residents is the possible damage to the value of the apartments. During the construction years, the neighborhood will become a construction site, and then it will be crowded and congested. Residents fear that the quality of life will be damaged, which will affect the value of the properties. This is a neighborhood that currently offers peace, views and a high quality of life – qualities that may disappear with the implementation of the plan.
The residents are facing the Yuval Alon company, which has extensive resources. They are forced to raise funds and pay professionals to prove to the planning committees the damage to their quality of life. The question that arises is whether this is the residents' job or the local authority's, which charges them high amounts in property taxes.
Traffic congestion and lack of educational institutions and community centers
Residents are already reporting severe traffic congestion. "At 8 a.m., there is no way to leave the neighborhood toward Ahuza," says one of the neighborhood's residents. "It takes half an hour to travel the short distance to the center of Carmel. Those who can leave early or drive through Nesher or Beit Oren. Those who have to drive children every morning are in trouble." According to her, the neighborhood lacks educational institutions and community centers, and any need requires leaving the neighborhood.
Carmel neighborhoods in the struggle Ongoing – a broad urban phenomenon
The struggle in Savyoni Danya is not an isolated case. Many neighborhoods on the Carmel Ridge are struggling against building plans that are changing their character. Residents find themselves in a struggle against developers and contractors with high financial capacity, and are forced to convince their neighbors to join and finance the struggle. The question is whether it is possible to unite the struggles and act together against the authorities and developers.
Fundamental questions about urban planning – who determines the future of the city?
The struggle raises fundamental questions about urban planning. Should Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, not decide for itself where construction will take place? Should land sold at low prices in the past determine the city's future, or should elected officials determine the city's interests? Residents are demanding that the municipality represent their interests and not allow harm to the quality of life.
The struggle is in full swing – the decision is up to the district committee
The struggle in Savyoni Danya is in full swing, and the final decision will be made by the district committee. In the meantime, the residents continue to act, explain, mobilize and protest. They hope that their voice will be heard, and that the neighborhood will remain as it is – quiet, green, and inviting. The response from the Yuval Alon company will be added to the article when it is received.
Municipality: "These days we are preparing organized opposition to the plan"
The Haifa Municipality responded by saying that it is currently preparing a formal objection to the plan, which will be brought to the local committee for discussion and approval before being forwarded to the district committee. "The objection will address all aspects raised, including transportation issues, the scope of construction, and the impact on the quality of life of residents," the municipality said.
They will also build.
Hello, what do you think?
That only you will enjoy???
Your buildings have also gone through a series of "objections" and here you are in your van facing the smelly view and the right angle for observing the harassed neighbor.
Come on people – do me a favor and stop letting your dog shit on the luxury sidewalk and running home like it's not "yours."
In my opinion, most of the problem is that it is not proportional. Build 600 housing units in six buildings. It will cause enormous congestion in the neighborhood. (Where people park at night in red and white, and on squares anyway). They should reduce the number of apartments/floors. It is simply greed on the part of the municipality that will receive a lot of money for it. We also need to check whether no one received anything under the table. This is suspicious.
A nonsensical article that pretends to show concern when, after all, payment for it has already been made.
Danya.
Some of you will be arrested further during the investigation with a warning that you are liars, cheats, and swindlers.
The Haifa Municipality has long had no regard for the day-to-day problems of the residents, so it is hard to believe that it will take our long-term concerns into account. Everything will depend on the ability of the resistance group, which has employed experts in various fields, to confront the District Committee, which I find hard to believe is truly interested in what is really happening in the neighborhood and will bring honest, in-depth, and above all, professional judgment to the discussion.
In addition to the construction and transportation load, and the destruction of nature, we must not forget the continuation of all of this, when exiting the so-called "Kona" for these reasons, there are still no other exits except through Oskar Schindler St. 1 to Abba Khushi Blvd.
I must point out and emphasize that the Haifa Municipality's traffic light system is relatively new and does not function at all. There is a noticeable congestion that was not seen in previous years at the traffic lights on Danya St. with Omar Heshemesh and Abba Khushi Blvd. But this is just an example, because the entire city is jammed like never before, even in areas where traffic is not congested. The system and its employees are unable to pay attention to what is happening, and therefore the calibration of the entire traffic light system in Haifa is out of whack.
I took this opportunity to raise awareness about the transportation issue, which could become very serious if the construction plan in Savyoni Danya is approved.
New apartments have an additional property tax. Whoever ships in a can of sardines will also pay for the oil.
The Haifa Municipality's disregard for the quality of life of Carmel residents is a general trend that favors the profits of contractors over residents. See for example what is happening on Harofeh and Smolenskin streets where massive construction is rampant at the expense of blocking the view, traffic congestion, and blocking the roads, starting with Carmel Hospital, which to this day has no organized parking, and the broken roads that no one bothers to fix or enforce parking laws. And now the Lincoln Hills plan has been approved, a great disaster for the Green Carmel and the residents of the place. We sat there thinking that Klish was destroying the city, but unfortunately it is getting worse today.
Neighborhoods are locked in. They need to be connected to the neighborhoods next to them.
The most appropriate thing is to continue the road and connect Ramat Alon and Ramat Edi.
There is a beautiful view and a large wadi area. There is no doubt that towers are the most efficient use of the area.
The residents there are classic NIMBYs. Once they live there, they don't want any more development near them and try to
Prevent development that was approved in previous planning applications with ridiculous arguments, and it seems that the media is also being mobilized.
Nonsense in the juice.
Anyone who bought an apartment there was aware of the Ramat Alon South plan and its connection to the neighborhood with Ramat Alon.
There are no infrastructure burdens, and there is plenty of empty space around Gloverman Street.
It's a shame that this is your response, which lacks knowledge and planning thinking. It is imperative to oppose this! This is a violation of the quality of life, the environment, and all residents of the neighborhood and the region will suffer. An unsuitable area. Oppose!!!
There is also a lot of empty space on the Carmel, but that doesn't mean we should destroy nature and build in large quantities.