Citizen mobilization for the rehabilitation of buildings threatening ruinin the Mellah of Rabat, Morocco

In Morocco, the term "building threatening ruin" refers to constructions that pose significant safety risks due to their deteriorated state or hazardous location. While the issue has been officially recognized since 1985, it intensified in the 1990s, affecting both urban and rural areas, including historic neighborhoods such as the Mellah in Rabat. By 2000, nearly 90,000 housing units were identified as being at risk of collapse, a number that has continued to rise. In response, the Moroccan government launched several initiatives aimed at rehabilitating these vulnerable buildings, but these efforts were met with resistance from local residents. This resistance was driven by dissatisfaction with the implementation of rehabilitation processes, as well as concerns about the exclusion of residents from key decision-making. This article offers a novel analysis of the strategies employed by residents to influence the rehabilitation process, focusing on the Mellah neighborhood. The research highlights the complex dynamics between citizen engagement and public policy, exploring how citizen mobilization can serve as a powerful tool to affect change, particularly when formal institutional participation is limited. Through a detailed case study of the Mellah, this work demonstrates that while citizen pressure can be effective in shaping public policies, it must be complemented by structured, institutionalized avenues for participation to ensure long-term success.