What is a Citizens' Assembly in Hof?

The citizens' assembly is a public event organized by the city, where citizens are informed about important topics and can have their say. The city leadership and departments report on ongoing and planned projects, explain backgrounds and schedules, and take questions and suggestions.

The focus is on concerns from the everyday lives of residents – for example, safe school routes, cycling, green spaces, flood protection, or projects in the respective district.

Dates and Participation 2026

• Announcement of dates: The city of Hof publishes the 2026 assembly dates with district assignment, time, and location in advance on the city's website.
• Participation: Usually, no registration is required. Information on admission, moderation, and speaking times is provided in the respective invitation.
• Information channels: Official invitations and public announcements appear online and – if applicable – in the official gazette as well as in local media.
• Advance questions: Questions can be submitted in advance via the contact channels provided by the city, so that departments can prepare data, responsibilities, and possible answers.
• Direct access: Current information and links to the next citizens' assemblies can be found on the town hall website: hof.de.

Typical Procedure of the Assembly

• Opening: Welcome, presentation of the program, organizational notes, and rules on speaking time.
• Reports from the city: Overview of projects, finances, traffic, urban development, infrastructure, and services in the respective district.
• District priorities: Information on planned or ongoing measures, such as construction site management, school route safety, climate adaptation, or heavy rain precautions.
• Open question round: Contributions from the audience, answers by city leadership and departments, or taking questions for further technical review.
• Outlook: Next steps, responsibilities, and expected timeframes for further processing of concerns.

Expected Key Topics 2026

The agenda of each citizens' assembly depends on the respective district. Typically, the following topics are in focus:

• Traffic and cycling: Pedestrian crossings, closing gaps in the cycling network, parking facilities, traffic calming, and safe routes to daycare centers and schools.
• Urban development and housing: Design of squares and street spaces, densification, use of fallow land, and quality of stay in the neighborhoods.
• Climate adaptation and greenery: Unsealing, tree planting, heat protection in densely built-up areas, and upgrading green spaces.
• Heavy rain and flood protection: Drainage capacities, retention areas, flow paths, and protection of particularly vulnerable streets.
• Social, education, participation: Childcare, youth work, accessibility, services for seniors, and meeting points in the district.
• Economy and accessibility: Construction site coordination, delivery traffic, accessibility, and customer frequency in the city center and districts.

For important key topics, the city will likely provide maps, data, and visualizations. This way, citizens can better understand decisions, ask targeted questions, and participate in discussions.

Well Prepared for the Next Citizens' Assembly

• Clarify date and location: Check which citizens' assembly is responsible for your district and plan your arrival and departure.
• Specify questions: Formulate concerns concretely: describe location, time, and observation precisely; bring evidence such as photos or sketches. Submit extensive concerns in advance if possible.
• Involve neighbors: Bundle perspectives from neighbors, schools, clubs, or neighborhood initiatives to clearly prioritize common concerns.
• Follow up on results: After the assembly, use city publications, minutes, or reports on the website to track the status of processed concerns and follow up if necessary.
• Barrier-free participation: If support is needed (e.g., sign language interpretation), inquire early via the contact channels mentioned in the invitation.

Suggested Wording for an Advance Question

Subject: Citizens' assembly in the district – School route safety at an intersection near the local school

Brief description: At the start of school, there are repeated conflicts at the mentioned intersection between turning motor vehicles and crossing children. Photos of the situation are attached.

Questions/Suggestions:

• Is the city considering adjusting the traffic light phases or a separate signal?
• Are there current accident data or observations of near misses?
• What short-term measures (e.g., markings, securing sight triangles) are planned?

Contact: Name, email, phone

Digital and Barrier-Free Participation Options

For the 2026 assemblies, supplementary formats such as livestreams, online question options, or barrier-free information materials may be provided – if offered by the city of Hof. Whether and to what extent such services are available can be found in the respective invitation or on the city's website.

Sources and Further Information

1. Bavarian Municipal Code (BayGO), Art. 18 Citizens' Assembly — Legal basis for Bavaria (accessed 2026-02-04)
2. Hessian Municipal Code (HGO), § 8a Citizens' Assembly — Example of a state regulation (accessed 2026-02-04)
3. City of Hof – Official Website — Information, invitations, dates (accessed 2026-02-04)
4. Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb): Local Politics — Background and classification (accessed 2026-02-04)