Funded Research and Grants

Note: Principal researcher, unless stated otherwise. Research projects carried out through the Center for Urban and Regional Studies at the Technion, unless stated otherwise (contract numbers of externally funded research are stated, if known). Research proposals submitted but not won are noted in grey fonts).

January 2016 – Research proposal submitted: INT proposal in the Horizon 2020 EU funding program.  Partner in a consortium headed by Prof. Christina von Haaren, University of Hannover. Topic: “Spatial Transformation and Adaptive Infrastructures”.  TRANSFORM – ADACTURES”.  My role: Leader of Work Package 1 – Theoretical Foundations.

2015 – Invited to join research team headed by Prof. Ari Ekroos of Alto University, Finland, “Systemic change – efficiency, quality regulation and citizen input in land-use planning”, to be submitted to the Finnish Academy, Oct. 2015.

2015 – Member, research team headed by Prof. Deborah Peel, University of Dundee.  ”Flourishing Communities and Productive Seas”, funded by the Scottish Universities Programme for Knowledge Exchange.

2014 – Invited to join research proposal by Prof. Ari Ekroos of Alto University, Finland, “Institutionalised communicative planning – lost in translation?”. Submitted to the Academy of Finland.  2014. Did not win.

Nov. 2013 – Oct. 2016 (PI, with Dr. Michal Palgi of the Kibbutz Center at Haifa U)  “The Property Rights of Israel’s Rural Residents Viewed from a Comparative Cross-national perspective”.  Won Call for Research by the Chief Researcher, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.  300,000 IS (about $88,000).

July 2013 Submitted under my supervision –  Michelle Oren, EU Marie Curie International Outgoing Scholarship (post docs) – Global Housing Rights: Bridging the Law-to-Practice Gap.  Not won

Feb. 2013 – 2016 – EU CBC (Cross Border Cooperation) PI, Initiator And Coordinator of a 5-country Mediterranean team: ENPI Strategic project : “Bridging the Implementation Gap: Facilitating Cross-Border Iczm Implementation by Lowering Legal-Institutional Barriers in the Mediterranean Sea Basin” (acronymed MARE NOSTRUM). Total budget (all partners) 4.3 m EU.

July 2012 – Marie Curie grant – EU FP7 program – international Outgoing Fellowships – won under my supervision by Dr. Nati Marom. Topic: Planning in Equality? Urban Strategy and Inequality in Global South Cities”. In cooperation with Prof. Ananya Roy, City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley.

Jan. 2012 – 2014. “The Property Rights of Israel’s Rural Residents Viewed from a Comparative Cross-national perspective”. Won Call for Research by the Research Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. In cooperation with Topic Dr. Michal Palgi of the Kibbutz Center at Haifa U.

Oct. 2012 – 2014 –Israel Science Foundation grant: “Conflicts Over Preservation of the Built Environment: Cross-national Comparative Analysis of the Decisions of Planning Authorities”. PI with Dr. Nir Mualam as Co-Researcher.

2011 – submitted but did not win – to Mifal Hapais – Cultural Studies – “Preservation of the History of Urban Design – Learning from the Israel and Other Countries” – with Mike Turner.

2010  Joint PI with Assoc. Prof. Alon Tal, Ben Gurion University, and Dr. Efrat Eilam as researcher. Ministry of Science and Technology Call for Basic Research in Social Science and Science Polity.
“Development of indicators for evaluating the impact on sustainability of decision makers in Israel’s civil sectors and development of a strategic plan for education for sustainable development, by sector”.  Did not win the funding.

2008 (May)   with Dr. Emily Silverman.  “Statutory planning tools to expand the supply of affordable housing”.  Won national competition for research proposals (ranked 1) Ministry of Interior.  IS 300,000

2007 (Nov)   Submitted – high grades but no award: EU FP 7 Framework: “Planning Law and Public Participation:  Cross national analysis for mutual learning”.  Initiator and Coordinator, Lead team of 5 countries, 14 researchers and 15 government and NGO bodies. [Selected for final list not funded].

2006    The Jordan Valley Rift as a Bridge towards Peace. University of Miami financed, pilot research.

2005 – 06  Towards Reform of Israel’s Planning and Building Law –alternative legal responses to the property-rights and economic implications of planning regulations in selected countries.  Funded by the Planning Administration of the Israel Ministry of Interior, May – Aug. 2005.

2004   Alternatives to Israel’s National Land Policy.  “Seed money” received from the Samuel Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology – Technion.

Submitted but not awarded:
The German Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research (GIF) proposal, with Prof. Thomas Faist, Bremen University.  Title: “Housing Policies for Immigrant Absorption in Germany and Israel:  Comparative evaluation for mutual learning”

June 2004 – 2006  “Sustainable maintenance in high-rise residential condominiums: What can Israel learn from other countries?”  Ministry of Interior, National Planning Administration.  60,000 IS.

Dec. 2001– August 2003   How can planning and land policy be improved in the Bedouin villages of the Misgav Regional Council?  Research commissioned by the Misgav regional council.  40,000 IS.

Jan 2001– Feb. 2004  Design controls in  statutory plans:  Sticks in the  wheels or a blessing to urban form?  Rachelle Alterman as PI, Dr. Nurit Corren as co-researcher.  Won at-large competition conducted by the Chief Researcher of the Ministry of Construction and Housing.   IS 150,000 for one year.

2000 – 01  Illegal Construction in Israel: A Failure in Enforcement or Prevention?  Won competition for the Joint Research Fund – Technion and Haifa University.  PI with Assoc. Prof. Arie Rattner, Department of Sociology (criminology).  $5,000.  Extension requested for 2001-2.

2000 – 04  High-rise buildings in Israel:  Legal and administrative aspects.  Co-Investigator in a research team, headed by Assoc. Prof. Arza Churchman (with other members from the Faculty of Architecture and the National Research Institute).  The team won an at-large tender by the Ministry of Interior for a project to develop planning, design, and construction criteria and regulations for tall buildings.  Total team budget:  1.4 million IS.

1998 – 99   The language of plans: Instruments for conflict mitigation or conflict enhancement”.  Won  competition for a research grant from the Tami Steinmetz Institute, Tel Aviv University, $10,000.

1998 – 99   “Tools for preserving open spaces in Israel”, research grant from the Keren Kayemet – Jewish National Fund, 72,000 IS (overhead and vat included).

1996     “Protecting Agricultural Land from the Pressures of Urbanization:  Developing New Tools Based on the International Experience”.  Funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Chief Scientist’s Office, as part of an RFP, March 1995 (Ranked first).  Feb. 96. – June 1997;  021-649 – IS 43,000.

1996 – 97   “Achieving Higher Densities in Urban Land Uses”.  Invited research and development project for the Ministry of the Interior and the National Planning and Building Board. 6021-022. With Arza Churchman.  Consultant: Meir Garon.  Jan. 1996 –  IS 135,000.

1995 – 97    “National Plan for Israel in the 21st Century”, Research project undertaken at the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, headed by Adam Mazor;  member of the management team.  Responsible for two topics: “Institutional alignment for implementing long-range planning” and “National land policy and planning goals”.  Research assistant: Guy Kav-Venaki. Project sponsors:  Government and public agencies (Project number 022-526).

1994     “Accelerating Planning Procedures:  Length of Time in Planning Decisions” – report commissioned by the Ministry of Interior as input toward the preparation of a new planning law for Israel.  With Michal Sofer.  No. 6021-08. ($6,000).

1992 – 94    “The applicability of conflict-resolution methods to statutory planning decisions in Israel”.  Co-directed with Arza Churchman.  Ford Foundation, Israel, grant. (Project no. 021-477; $24,640).

1992 – 93    “Resolving conflicts in national highway planning”, Israel Ministry of Transportation.  Co-directed with Arza Churchman; Ariella Vraneski, D.Sc. candidate, as researcher. (Project no. 021-594; $18,400).

1992 – 93   “The impact of mass immigrant absorption on the planning of public services by local authorities:  Development of innovative approaches”, the Jewish Agency Renewal and Development Dep’t’. Jan. 1992 – Aug. 1992. (project no. 021-549; $15,821).  Research assistant:  Laurie Goldman.

1991 – 93   “National Plan for Israel in the 21st Century”, Research project undertaken at the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, directed by Adam Mazor;  serve as part of the Senior Research Team.  Contributed on the legal and institutional aspects;  planning methods and goal-setting.   Project sponsors: 4 Government agencies (Project no. 022-526).

1991 – 92   “Expropriation of Land:  A Cross-National Comparison” – grant for M.Sc. research (Nira Orni), funded by a Mifal Hapaiis grant. (Project number 021-453/2; $2,115; listed under Municipal Land Policy).

1990 – 92   “Compensation for decline in land values due to planning decisions”.  The Land Use Research Institute, Jerusalem.  (Project number 021-493; $21,447).  Research assistant: Orli Naim.

1988 – 90   “Developer obligations for public services – a cross-national comparison.” Research topic commenced during stay at the Lincoln Institute for Land Policy, Cambridge, Mass.

1989 – 90   “Implementing government programs for neighborhood regeneration:  A cross-national comparison.”  Grant received jointly with Goran Cars of the Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, to support production of an edited book.  Sponsor:  The Swedish Building Research Council.

1988 – 90    “The land betterment levy:  The law, its implementation and an evaluation”,  Technion Research Grant and partial funding from the Land Use Research Institute, Jerusalem.   With Irit Gil, M.Sc. student (021-453 – Part I).

1988 – 90    “Evaluation of Israel’s national agricultural land protection law and policy”.  Technion Research Grant and partial funding from the Land Use Research Institute, Jerusalem.  With Miriam Rosenstein, M.Sc. student. (021-453 – Part II).

1988 – 89   “Issues in municipal land policy”.  Sponsored by the Land Use Research Institute, Jerusalem. (021-453 – Part III; $40,000).

1986 – 87    “Linkage exactions and land-use controls for the supply of housing”.  Report commissioned by Prof. Donald. Shalala and Prof. Elizabeth Roistacher for the Task Force on Housing for the Governor of New York State.  Carried out at New York University and published through the Lincoln Institute.

1986 – 87    “The effect of residential densities on land requirements for public services”.  Co-principal researcher with M. Hill.  Commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior.  (Project number 021-161- Part I; $40,000). Miri Vitek, research assistant [completed after Prof. Hill’s death]

1986 – 88    “Alternative tools for obtaining land for public facilities: The legal basis and evaluation of use in practice” (021-161 – Part II).  Commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior.  Research assistant: Miri Vitek

1982 – 86    “Evaluation study of Israel’s neighborhood revitalization program”.  Co-directing a large research team with N. Carmon and M. Hill.  The Samuel Neaman Inst. for Advanced Studies in Science & Technology, Technion (Total project budget – $150,000).   Sponsored by the Neaman Institute and the Jewish Agency.

1976 – 84    “Development of guidelines for the spatial planning of public services (8-year project;  Moshe Hill was principal researcher in the first few years;  in subsequent years we were co-principal researchers).  Commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior (021-161; cumulative budget approx. $150,000).

1979 – 82    “Development of a guide to public participation in planning” (co-director with A Churchman and H. Law-Yone).  Sponsored by the Israel National Research Council (approx. $20,000).

1979 – 81   “Public Participation in Israel’s Project Renewal: Case studies and workshops” (with A. Churchman and H. Law-Yone).  The Samuel Neaman Inst. for Advanced Studies in Science & Technology, Technion.  Sponsored by the Neaman Inst. and the Jewish Agency. Sub-part of larger program directed by Moshe Hill and Naomi Carmon.

1979   Part of research team headed by Moshe Hill and Naomi Carmon on “Slum Rehabilitation in Israel – factors in the emergence of distressed neighborhoods.”  Responsible for legal aspects.  Under the auspices of the Samuel Neaman Institute, Technion.

1977 – 79    “Urban plan implementation: Toward the improvement of effectuation, monitoring and enforcement” (Principal Researcher;  with H. Law-Yone and the collaboration of E. Alexander).  Ford Foundation Grant.

1976 – 77   “Patterns of use of neighborhood open spaces” (researcher, with Shaul Amir as principal researcher).  Sponsored by the Ministry of Housing.