Public-enabled financing to revitalize traditional housing: Kyoto’s Kyo-machiya

This Good Practice explores how Kyoto, Japan, is addressing financial and structural barriers to renovating its traditional Kyo-machiya townhouses. Using the Public-Enabled Financing Framework as an analytical lens, it examines how public policy can enable private investment in traditional housing renovation. The city combines grants, adaptive reuse policies, institutional coordination, and community-based financing to reduce renovation risks and support the continued use of these buildings.
The publication is part of the Good Practice Series from the Kaohsiung–ICLEI Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Community of Practice, sharing practical experiences and lessons from member cities to inform action worldwide.