The city of Tel Aviv-Yafo is planning measures to revitalize the Neve Sha'anan neighborhood near the old Central Bus Station. One of the city's main goals is to entice young Israelis to live in the area. In addition, the city will allocate funding to infrastructure improvements in the neighborhood.
As part of the project, university students who move to the area will be eligible for special grants. Any student who lives in the neighborhood for more than one year could get a scholarship worth up to NIS 11,000 — the approximate cost of a year's tuition.
The plan to compensate students was first made public on Thursday evening, less than two weeks before the municipal elections.
Neve Sha'anan is widely considered one of Tel Aviv's worst neighborhoods. The area is largely p
Neve Sha'anan is widely considered one of Tel Aviv's worst neighborhoods. 
opulated by foreign workers and illegal entrants, and is a center of criminal activity. City officials hope that bringing young Israelis to the area will improve the neighborhood's image and lead to a cultural revival.
A similar program began approximately three years ago in Jerusalem, where students who live in the city center are eligible for rent subsidies. The program has been met with mixed reviews. Some say it has been responsible for improving the quality of life downtown, while others say the subsidies have merely encouraged landlords to raise the rent, leaving students to pay the same amount as they would have without the grants.