Often asked questions
Here you can find questions often asked about OmaStadi and their answers.
Q: What is OmaStadi?
A: OmaStadi is a way for Helsinki residents to influence decisions. OmaStadi is Helsinki’s method for participatory budgeting. During its three rounds, Helsinki residents have proposed and voted on how the city should spend 22 million euros. So far 164 implemented projects have made Helsinki better and more pleasant for its residents. Read about the story of participatory budgeting
OmaStadi’s fourth round began in autumn 2025. In it Helsinki residents propose and vote on the use of 10 million euros. Proposals and voting take place at omastadi.hel.fi.
Q: I have an idea I’d like to submit to OmaStadi. When can I submit proposals next?
A: OmaStadi’s fourth round began in autumn 2025. In it Helsinki residents propose and vote on the use of 10 million euros. Proposals and voting take place at omastadi.hel.fi. You can submit proposals 22.9.–5.10.2025.
Q: Why can’t proposals be submitted continuously? A short proposal phase is easy to miss, and if proposals are requested e.g. in winter, only winter-related ideas come to mind.
A: Participatory budgeting is implemented twice per council term and the goal is that proposal and voting phases are held within about six months of each other. The aim is to strengthen residents’ opportunities to participate, and a limited time period increases the sense of influence. Sufficient time must be allowed for implementation of proposals, since projects implemented through OmaStadi are often substantial or span several years. It is also easier to monitor implementation when the start time is known, which in turn increases trust in the city.
Q: 10 million euros is a very small part of the city’s budget. Why isn’t a larger sum reserved for residents to decide on themselves? A: The city council decides on the city’s finances and approves the annual budget. City council members are elected by the residents. According to democratic principles, residents therefore decide on the city budget through their elected council members.
Q: Why does implementing proposals cost so much? A: City-implemented projects must take into account many aspects, for example safety-related matters especially carefully, which often increases costs. Projects to be implemented are often large; careful planning, procurement and project preparation increase costs and implementation takes time.
Q: Is there a maximum budget for project planning, or can planning costs become so high that only a small part remains for implementation? A: When a cost estimate is made for projects, the portion required for planning is also taken into account. Budget is always reserved sufficiently for implementation. An OmaStadi proposal can also be to carry out a study on a topic. In that case the whole budget is used for the study.
Q: I would like to be involved in planning how a voted proposal is implemented. How can I join? A: In the co-development phase residents and city employees plan together what should be considered in the implementation of voted OmaStadi projects. This can mean, for example, the opportunity to comment on proposals on the OmaStadi site or joint workshops. Development of OmaStadi projects continues after co-development. This can include surveys, site walks, workshops or other forms of discussion and interaction. You can find information about the progress of OmaStadi projects on the "toteutus" (implementation) page on OmaStadi. The page explains each project’s implementation stages, schedule and how residents can influence implementation.
Q: Where can I get more information about how a project is progressing and when it will be completed? A: You can follow the project’s progress on omastadi.hel.fi under "toteutus" (implementation).
Q: Where can I find previously approved proposals?
A: Implemented projects from
the round 2018–2019
the round 2020–2021
the round 2023–2024
Q: I don’t like an OmaStadi project that is being implemented. What can I do?
A: You can comment on the proposal on omastadi.hel.fi or give feedback at palautteet.hel.fi
Q: Why can’t I vote against an OmaStadi proposal?
A: The common practice in voting is to support the proposed items. This method has also been chosen for OmaStadi voting.
Q: Why is the area division chosen by major district?
A: The budget is divided among suurpiirit according to population, which is a clear and equal way to distribute money to different areas. At the same time, it has been wanted to ensure that the projects to be implemented are sufficiently large and impactful. If the money were divided by peruspiiri, the budget available for each major district would be considerably smaller.
Q: How is equality ensured in OmaStadi for neighbourhoods with smaller populations?
A: The city takes regional equality into account when planning its services. Service network plans have been made for many services and they are taken into account when planning the location for implementing a proposal.
Q: Why aren’t votes for proposals that span multiple areas counted together so they don’t compete with each other?
A: The city combines similar proposals for voting so they do not compete against each other.
Q: Why can’t I vote with paper slips like in elections?
A: The city wants to promote the adoption of digital services and OmaStadi is implemented entirely digitally. This increases equality among residents because voting is not tied to a specific time or place.
Q: Why is strong identification required for voting in OmaStadi? Could seniors vote in the next round with the pake card, which verifies Helsinki residency (available from the service centre, checked annually)?
A: All Helsinki residents aged 13 and over may vote in OmaStadi. Strong identification is required to verify age and Helsinki residency. Identification is linked to the digital suomi.fi service, which is used for identification in most government services nationwide.
Q: Why are OmaStadi projects time-limited?
A: OmaStadi projects cannot increase the city’s budget and therefore they have an agreed maximum duration of three years.
Q: Why aren’t social, health and rescue services included in OmaStadi?
A: Due to the reform concerning welfare areas, financing for social, health and rescue services comes from the state. Participatory budgeting projects must target activities funded by the city itself.
Q: Why must OmaStadi project descriptions be so concise (500 characters) that it is not possible to make “real projects”?
A: Residents submit ideas to develop the city during the OmaStadi proposal phase. Residents also vote on which of these proposals they consider best. If long descriptions could be written for every proposal, the threshold for voting would increase. Successful proposals in the vote are developed together with residents into feasible projects.