The first City Breakfast in 2024 took place on Thursday, led by mayor Lydie Polfer and the first alderman.

Polfer addressed comments made by public prosecutor Georges Oswald on the legality of the begging ban, describing his reaction as "unexpected" as he has held this stance for the past decade.

In an interview with RTL, the prosecutor said that simple begging could not be banned as it did not exist as a criminal offence in Luxembourg's Criminal Code, and could therefore not be subjected to prosecution.

Despite this, the Luxembourg City mayor stood firm against the criticism on Thursday morning, reiterating that the capital's police regulations are legitimate by her interpretation.
Polfer pointed out that the law did regulate aggressive behaviour, contrary to Oswald's comments, and said the argument that someone who has nothing should not be sanctioned, did not apply. She emphasised that the council did not plan on giving up on this measure.

When questioned why police had carried out checks on beggars clearly did not belong to organised gangs, and were not acting aggressively, earlier this week, first alderman Maurice Bauer said the council had never intended for people who were simply sitting on the street to be subjected to controls.

New plans for the Place du Théâtre 

Recently a black tent was installed at the city's Place du Théâtre - a spot which often attracted a larger gathering of homeless people. "It isn't possible to privatise public space," Polfer said, as she explained that the municipality had set up the tent, but was planning to redesign the whole space soon. Nearby residents had complained about noise disturbances.

The council said it had found alternatives for the homeless, but declined to comment on what the alternatives were and whether the people affected were still sleeping rough.

Housing

The first City Breakfast of the year also tackled how the capital has developed and plans to continue its development. In 2022, the number of council authorisations for new housing permits dropped sharply, but rose again in 2023, reaching 1,087 building permits in total. Polfer said she hoped the permits would indeed result in actual construction, as authorisation did not necessarily mean the plans would be implemented. In 2021, 1,950 building permits for new homes were approved.

Bauer said the City of Luxembourg now has 887 rental apartments, with 269 more housing units to be built. The municipality is aiming to add 270 new flats to its rental properties by 2026.

One aspect of housing causing issues for the capital are the VEFA projects (Vente en l'état futur d'achèvement, or sale of off-plan property). Five of these projects were authorised by the council, for over 200 dwellings, but two such projects in Bonnevoie have collapsed, due to insufficient loans. A month ago, these prices would have met the criteria set by the municipality, but now the situation is serious and cannot be implemented as desired. Polfer indicated plans to go public with the exact details soon.

Flood protection, Place de la Constitution, and pop-ups

Other topics on Thursday's menu included flood protection. The municipality expressed plans to offer subsidies to residents at risk of being affected by floods. Those who are eligible for government aid in flood protection would also be eligible to receive up to a third of that subsidy from the City of Luxembourg.

The Place de la Constitution, beneath the "Gëlle Fra" monument, will remain closed to cars from now on. Ticket booths will be set up at the entrance to the Casemates attraction. The council plans to breathe new life into the square throughout the year. After the Octave market, set to take place from mid-April to early May,  food trucks with seating will be permitted to set up in the square. For the upcoming Olympic Games, the space will transform in a public viewing area.

Finally, the council is looking for applicants to launch a pop-up shop at the Rue du Fort Neipperg car park, offering more favourable conditions for an 11-month contract. The premises is equipped with a professional kitchen and offers capacity for up to 50 people.