What is a Citizens' Assembly in Hof?

The citizens' assembly is a public event of the city of Hof, where citizens receive information about planned projects and can present their own concerns. The city leadership and departments provide an overview of topics in the respective district, explain planned steps, and take questions and suggestions.

The focus is on typical everyday topics of the residents – for example, safe school routes, cycling, green spaces, heavy rain precautions, or projects in the respective district.

Citizens' Assembly Hof 2026: How to find dates and participate

• Announcement of dates: The city of Hof publishes the dates for the citizens' assemblies 2026 (including district assignment, time, and venue) before the respective events on its official channels.
• Where are the dates published? Official invitations and announcements from the city of Hof are binding, especially via the city website.
• Participation without registration: Unless otherwise stated in the invitation, participation is usually possible without prior registration. Details on admission, moderation, and speaking times are provided in the respective invitation.
• Submit questions in advance: Many concerns can be effectively submitted in advance via the contact methods specified by the city, so that responsibilities can be clarified and facts prepared.
• Direct access: Current information and links to city information can be found at hof.de.

Typical Procedure of a Citizens' Assembly

• Opening: Welcome, organizational notes, procedure and rules for speaking (e.g., order, speaking time, tone).
• Reports from the city: Overview of planned measures and ongoing work, often related to traffic, urban development, infrastructure, and services in the district.
• District priorities: Presentation and classification of specific projects in the neighborhood (e.g., construction site management, school route safety, climate adaptation, drainage/heavy rain).
• Open question round: Comments from the audience; answers by city leadership and departments or referral for further technical review.
• Outlook: Next steps, responsibilities, and notes on how results can be followed up (e.g., via city publications).

Key Topics 2026: What is often on the agenda

The agenda depends on the respective district and its topics. In citizens' assemblies, the following areas are often addressed, among others:

• Traffic and cycling: Crossings, closing gaps in the cycling network, parking facilities, traffic calming, and safe routes to daycares and schools.
• Urban development and housing: Design of squares and street spaces, use of areas, quality of stay, and neighborhood development.
• Climate adaptation and greenery: Unsealing, tree planting, heat protection, and upgrading green spaces.
• Heavy rain and flood protection: Drainage, retention and runoff routes, and protection of particularly vulnerable areas.
• Social, education, participation: Accessibility, meeting points, offers for families, young people, and seniors.
• Economy and accessibility: Construction site coordination, delivery traffic, accessibility, and impacts on trade and services.

If the city provides documents such as maps, plans, or visualizations, it is worthwhile to view them in advance: This allows questions to be formulated more precisely and priorities to be better justified.

Well prepared for the next Citizens' Assembly 2026

• Assign correctly: Check which assembly is intended for your district and plan your arrival and departure.
• Make concerns concrete: Note the location (street/intersection), time (e.g., school start), observation, and effects. Photos or sketches can help describe the problem comprehensibly.
• Formulate a core question: Start with a main question (e.g., “What specific measure is planned by when?”) and add at most two to three sub-questions.
• Appear together: Coordinate with neighbors, school, club, or initiative to bundle overlaps and clearly state priorities.
• Follow up on results: After the assembly, follow the city's publications (e.g., notes, minutes, or summaries) to track the processing status.
• Request barrier-free participation early: If you need support (e.g., sign language interpretation or accessible documents), ask as early as possible via the contact methods specified in the invitation.

Example: Ask briefly and effectively (in advance or at the event)

Topic: School route safety at an intersection in the district

Core statement: “At the start of school, there are regular conflicts between turning vehicles and crossing children. Visibility is restricted by parked vehicles.”

Three precise questions:

• What short-term measures are possible (e.g., markings, visibility triangles, temporary controls) and in what time frame?
• Which authority is responsible at this location (road maintenance/traffic authority) and how does the review process work?
• What long-term solution is being considered (e.g., crossing aid, changed right of way/traffic light), and when can a decision be expected?

Digital and barrier-free participation options

For citizens' assemblies, supplementary formats such as livestreams, online question options, or accessible information materials may be available – if offered by the city. Whether and to what extent such offers will be provided in 2026 will be stated in the respective invitation or on the website of the city of Hof.

Sources and further information

1. Bavarian Municipal Code (BayGO), Art. 18 “Citizens' Assembly” — Legal basis in Bavaria (accessed 2026-04-10)
2. City of Hof – Official Website — Invitations, information, and publications (accessed 2026-04-10)
3. Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb): Local Politics — Background and classification of municipal participation (accessed 2026-04-10)