Welcome to Better Garðabær

Garðabæjarlistinn´s priorities for the 2026 municipal elections

A Garðabær that works

Housing and planning

Good planning supports and improves residents’ quality of life. The impact of planning on people’s daily lives must always be kept front and centre. Garðabær is rich in natural gems and offers diverse opportunities for outdoor recreation. This is one of the municipality’s greatest distinguishing features, and we must protect it.

Garðabær is a wonderful place to live, and we should all have the opportunity to find housing in our hometown. The people of Garðabær are a diverse group with different needs and financial circumstances. For far too long, it has been common for young people and lower-income residents to move away until their circumstances improve, resulting in many people leaving our community for neighbouring municipalities. The Garðabærlistinn aims to enable people of all generations to live together in Garðabær. To achieve that, Garðabær must always ensure real diversity in housing development.

Garðabær has long lagged behind neighbouring municipalities in the development of social housing. In the view of Garðabærlistinn, it is unacceptable for a municipality of 21,000 people to be unable to provide housing for those who need it, especially when the need is clearly there. Residents of Garðabær who face hardship or need assistance should be able to remain in Garðabær. It is time for Garðabær to assume social responsibility in this area.

We want to

• Increase the supply of diverse housing options for people of all ages and income groups.
• Improve the quality and diversity of green areas for outdoor recreation and exercise.
• Respect both protected and untouched areas within Garðabær and minimise disruption to the ecosystem in development and construction.
• Take public access rights into account when it comes to shorelines, lake shores, and riverbanks.
• Improve people’s access to green spaces.
• Always keep environmental quality, including air quality and sound conditions, in mind in development.
• Separate sewage from other drainage infrastructure and make use of sustainable stormwater solutions wherever possible.
• Ensure that everyday services can be reached on foot within 15 minutes.
• Ensure that green spaces or natural landmarks are within a 5–8 minute walk for all residents.
• Set very clear standards for the quality of new residential housing with regard to natural light, appearance, and access to green spaces and playgrounds.
• Ensure a greater supply of rental and rent-to-own housing in Garðabær suitable for individuals, families, students, and older adults.
• Take part in the responsible development of social housing in the capital region.
• Ensure that development also includes plots for individuals and that plots are allocated fairly. 

We will

• Plan mixed-use development in Iðnbúð, Smiðsbúð, and Gilsbúð, with an emphasis on smaller apartments and commercial space on the ground floor.
• Plan low-rise residential development and ambitious public and play spaces at Hofsstaðavöllur.
• Create a paved recreational path around Arnarnes and a connecting path along Hraunholtslækur below Flatir.
• Move Stjarnan’s football, handball, and basketball activities to the Miðgarður area alongside the planned development of sports facilities there.
• Reserve plots for non-profit rental associations and housing cooperatives in all new neighbourhoods and secure initial contributions.
• Turn underused grassy areas into high-quality green spaces with diverse vegetation.
• Install tree belts and environmentally friendly barriers along traffic roads near residential areas to protect against chemical pollution and noise pollution.
• Purchase more social housing units each year and shorten waiting lists.

Democracy

Strong democracy and professional administration are the foundation of a trustworthy community. When residents have real influence and decisions are based on knowledge and analysis, services improve, and trust grows.

We want to

• Increase resident participation in decision-making.
• Create more active dialogue between the town and companies, self-employed people, and entrepreneurs about needs and opportunities in employment matters.
• Build strong and professional administration within the municipality.
• Reduce unnecessary outsourcing and strengthen internal expertise.
• Ensure that decisions are based on analysis of residents’ needs.
• Increase transparency and access to information.
• Create a platform where diverse voices are heard.
• Ensure that Garðabær’s employees reflect the diversity of residents and have knowledge and understanding of residents’ different needs.

We will

• Increase the number of specialists within the administration and strengthen professional expertise.
• Introduce regular residents’ needs analysis and operators through surveys, data, and dialogue.
• Establish neighbourhood councils in Garðabær.
• Ensure diverse participation in neighbourhood councils.
• Set up and develop a digital consultation portal.
• Make information and consultation accessible in more languages.
• Link the results of consultations and neighbourhood councils directly to decision-making.
• Set clear goals for diversity in recruitment and follow them up.
• Establish clear and transparent procedures for receiving and responding to public inquiries.

Transportation

Transport works best when we hardly notice it: when we can get to where we want to go comfortably and safely, no matter which mode of travel we use. We should be able to send our children off to school or activities between neighbourhoods without worry and feel safe ourselves, whether we are walking, cycling, riding a scooter, riding an e-scooter, or in a car.

Garðabærlistinn wants the town’s residents to have a real choice in how they get from place to place, and to have the opportunity to improve their health and help tackle climate change and pollution by using active modes of travel. For that to become a realistic option, Garðabær must prioritise diverse transportation. So that we can all get where we need to go and back home again.

We want to

• Place strong emphasis on the safety of people on the move, regardless of their mode of travel.
• Make changes so that it is comfortable to walk around town, with sidewalks that are accessible, wide enough, and actually there.
• Require that accessibility for persons with disabilities and pedestrians be taken into account in all construction projects.
• Place greater emphasis on environmentally friendly and active transport options such as walking, cycling, public transport, e-scooters, and more, and ensure coordination and connectivity between them.
• Promote the sharing economy and micro-mobility, such as shared cars, bikes, and e-scooters.
• Pursue ambitious infrastructure development so residents have a real choice of travel mode.
• Give the needs of pedestrians higher priority than before in snow plowing.

We will

• Launch a major effort in sidewalk construction and maintenance.
• Install secure and covered storage for bicycles, e-bikes, and e-scooters at schools and sports facilities.
• Convert the municipality’s vehicle fleet to electric.
• Offer Garðabær employees a transport allowance.
• Set up shared e-scooter stations at selected locations around town.
• Create a new and ambitious traffic safety plan for Garðabær.
• Follow through on the planned lowering of speed limits on streets within the town.
• Make the bus free for children aged 12–16.

Finances

Responsible finances are the foundation of sustainable and fair social development, where funds are used purposefully to meet residents’ real needs. Budgets should reflect a clear vision of priorities, equality, and long-term thinking in community development. Through transparency, sound analysis, and responsible decision-making, we ensure that the town’s finances strengthen services, infrastructure, and the quality of life of all residents.

We want to

• Prioritise funding to equalise residents’ circumstances and reduce inequality.
• Lower service fees as much as possible.
• Prioritise projects that benefit families with children.
• Introduce equality screening in budget preparation and for larger expenditures.
• Analyse the town’s finances in terms of which groups benefit from public investment.
• Invest in infrastructure and ensure it keeps pace with population growth.
• Seek ways for Garðabær to receive a fair share of tax revenues from capital income tax.
• Press the state to compensate the town for basic services.
• Begin dialogue with the state about a fairer property valuation system.

We will

• Link budgeting more closely to the town’s real social goals.
• Use equality screening and impact assessments to improve prioritisation.
• Present transparent information on where money goes and which groups benefit from it.
• Allocate funds to projects that strengthen core services, infrastructure, and equality in the long term.
• Act firmly on behalf of the municipality toward the state when unfair costs fall on the town.

Employment

Quality of life improves when people can work close to home. Garðabær should not only be a good place to live, but also a strong community in which to work, create, and build economic activity. Garðabæjarlistinn wants a diverse local economy that strengthens the municipality, reduces the need for long commutes, and creates more opportunities for residents and businesses in the town.

We want to

• Create a more diverse economy in Garðabær and more jobs closer to people’s homes.
• Support new businesses in Garðabær with affordable workspaces, advice, links to grants, and practical support.
• Provide suitable premises and good working facilities for sole traders, entrepreneurs, and smaller businesses.
• Increase opportunities for remote work, co-working spaces, and flexible work hubs in the town.
• Improve links between planning, transportation, and employment areas so work is easier to access.
• Provide clearer support for innovation, creative industries, and green jobs.
• Protect designated commercial space and develop it further as a foundation for a strong local economy.

We will

• Identify and develop premises in the town suitable for sole traders, entrepreneurs, and smaller businesses.
• Provide new businesses with clear information and guidance on permits, processes, and options within the system.
• Work purposefully to ensure that commercial plots and business premises are not converted into residential housing unless there is a clear benefit for the town.
• Explore the development of a co-working space or work hub for people in location-independent jobs and the self-employed.
• Maintain regular consultation with businesses in Garðabær on the development of business areas, housing needs, and infrastructure.
• Support the development of employment areas that align with climate goals, good access, and a high-quality local environment.

A Garðabær that supports

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

Garðabæjarlistinn wants Garðabær to be a community where people of different backgrounds can participate on their own terms and feel they belong here. A good community is built on all of us being able to flourish.

We want to

•       Adopt a clear human rights and inclusion policy with measurable goals.
•       Ensure that residents genuinely feel they belong in the town.
•       Ensure that consultation with residents reflects the town’s diversity.
•       Strengthen community spaces, events, and projects that build bridges between people.
•       Respect the human rights of persons with disabilities in accordance with the United Nations Convention.
•       Make accessibility, in the broadest sense, a guiding principle in planning, services, and communication.
•       Create a reception and connection system for new residents.
•       Increase support for schools, leisure activities, and sports clubs to strengthen inclusive practices.
•       Provide education on gender studies, queer issues, ableism, racism, intercultural awareness, and inclusive communication as part of staff professional development.
•       Create a gathering space or the beginnings of an LGBTQ+ youth centre.

We will

•       Set out equality policy, procedures, and responsibility more clearly within the town administration.
•       Hire an equality and inclusion officer for Garðabær.
•       Build regular education, consultation, and follow-up instead of one-off campaigns.
•       Strengthen reception processes, information provision, and relationship-building for new residents from day one.
•       Work with specialists, civil society organisations, and service users to develop solutions.
•       Ensure that inclusion is not confined to one policy area but is part of all municipal activity.
•       Continue offering Icelandic courses for municipal staff.

Older adults

Older adults should be able to enjoy life in Garðabær with dignity, accessibility, social connection, and support for independent living.

We want to

• Provide accessible and transparent information about the rights of older adults in Garðabær.
• Provide access to guidance and digital literacy training for older adults.
• Offer diverse social activities to counter isolation and loneliness.
• Provide social facilities for older adults in all parts of the town.
• Integrate municipal social home services with home nursing provided by primary healthcare.
• Support older adults well so they can remain in their own homes longer if they choose to do so.
• Improve accessibility to all public buildings, public transport, paths, and outdoor recreation areas.
• Avoid separating neighbourhoods by age or status.

We will

• Improve information and guidance on the rights of older adults, services, and technological solutions.
• Strengthen social activities and local services across the whole town instead of concentrating them in only a few places.
• Work with healthcare services, civil society organisations, and residents themselves on practical solutions for older adults in the town.
• Work toward establishing social facilities for older adults in Urriðaholt.
• Use accessibility and independence as guiding principles in all policy-making concerning older adults.
• Introduce a leisure grant for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Persons with disabilities

Persons with disabilities should be able to live independent lives in Garðabær with appropriate services, choice of housing, and full access to the community.

We want to

• Provide disabled residents of Garðabær with a real choice of housing type and location.
• Eliminate waiting lists and increase the supply of accessible housing.
• Ensure that services for persons with disabilities are among the best in Garðabær.
• Improve access to public buildings, transport, paths, and outdoor recreation areas.
• Increase transparency and information about services for children and adults with disabilities.
• Work purposefully toward deinstitutionalisation and the right of persons with disabilities to live independently.
• Ensure that important information from the town is available in easy-to-read language.
• Create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities through part-time work and flexible hours.
• Ensure that persons with disabilities, if they need to, can access work and activity programs within the town.
• Increase the visibility of persons with disabilities in Garðabær, for example, in connection with cultural events.

We will

• Prioritise a rights-based approach and accessibility for persons with disabilities in services, planning, and communication.
• Systematically analyse waiting lists, service gaps, and housing needs, and respond to them.
• Improve transparency and public information about service processes and rights.
• Use the municipality itself as a model workplace where appropriate.
• Establish work and activity programs for persons with disabilities in Garðabær.

Residents with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds

Garðabær should be a community where people of different origins, who speak different languages and have different experiences, have the opportunity to participate actively in society and feel that they belong here. Diversity is a strength, and the municipality should work systematically to break down barriers related to language, access to information, bureaucratic complexity, and social isolation.

We want to

• Ensure that information from the town is written in clear language and, where appropriate, available in more languages.
• Provide structured reception, guidance, and connection to services for new residents from the outset.
• Improve access for parents with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds to information and communication with schools, preschools, and leisure activities.
• Work purposefully against social isolation and create more opportunities for residents to build relationships in their local communities.
• Provide municipal staff with the knowledge and tools needed to meet the diverse needs of residents with respect and professionalism.
• Ensure that consultation with residents better reflects the diversity of the community, including the voices of people whose first language is not Icelandic.
• Ensure that children and young people from diverse backgrounds experience safety, respect, and participation in school and leisure activities.
• Improve Garðabær’s support for community projects that strengthen relationships, dialogue, and participation among residents of different backgrounds.

We will

• Develop a clear reception plan for new residents with practical information on services, schools, leisure activities, and rights.
• Prioritise making key information from the town both clear and accessible, including through simpler language and translation where needed.
• Strengthen cooperation among schools, leisure services, social services, and other service units so that families receive more continuous support.
• Offer staff regular education on multicultural awareness, inclusive communication, and language awareness.
• Create more spaces where people can meet, get to know each other, and participate, such as family events, language cafés, connection-building projects, and open consultations.
• Actively seek the views of residents from diverse backgrounds in policy-making and service development instead of assuming their needs without dialogue.

Families with children

Children and young people are the future, and it is the role of every municipality to create an environment where children can flourish on their own terms, regardless of their parents’ financial position or other circumstances. Garðabær should be a child-friendly community where people want to live and raise their children.

We want to

• Reduce the financial burden on families with children in a targeted and responsible way. 
• Provide sibling discounts in sports, leisure, and youth activities through the incentive grant system.
• Support associations that provide sports and youth activities for children and young people through contracts and facility development.
• Ensure the systematic implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child through the project Barnvæn sveitarfélög.
• Further strengthen the participation of children and young people in municipal decision-making.
• Continue implementing and following up on integrated services for children’s well-being.
• Pay special attention to children’s traffic safety.
• Offer free morning oatmeal in the town’s primary schools for families.
• Ease the burden on families with young children, for example, during the summer and in everyday life.

We will

• Introduce a summer leisure program through after-school centres, in addition to the courses already offered by associations in the town.
• Keep Garðabær Library open on Sundays.
• Extend opening hours at Garðabær swimming pools on weekends.
• Move away from outsourcing school meals so that food will be cooked in each school and preschool instead.
• Offer free morning oatmeal in schools.
• Actively promote the discounts available to lower-income families with children.
• Introduce sibling discounts in organised sports, leisure, and youth activities through the incentive grant system.
• Raise the incentive grant to ISK 75,000 and index it annually to inflation.

Public health

We want to

• Make public health and quality of life key priorities for the municipality.
•  Emphasise prevention.
• Strengthen and activate skills within the municipality that can contribute to better health and well-being across age groups.
• Promote an environment that increases people’s ability to care for their mental well-being.
• View social capital as a foundation of residents’ happiness. It is important that everyone finds their community, because belonging is a public health issue.

We will

•  Train staff in mental health matters with the goal of encouraging early intervention.
• Offer courses for residents on general health, parenting, and wellbeing.
•  Reduce loneliness by strengthening social activities and so-called “third spaces” in the town, such as swimming pools, sports centres, the library, and community centres.
•  Extend weekend opening hours at swimming pools.
•  Add more benches along walking routes to improve accessibility for people who have difficulty walking.

A Garðabær that empowers

Education

The operation of preschools and primary schools is one of the most important tasks of any municipality. Garðabær has built a reputation as a municipality with strong preschools and primary schools. That journey must continue, but we must also defend and actively support development work in schools, pay attention to staff wellbeing, and ensure that facilities are adequate for both children and staff. That is how we create an outstanding environment for learning and play for our children.

We want to

• Take preventive action to avoid mould and moisture damage in school buildings.
• Work toward free preschools.
• Protect the development funds of Garðabær’s preschools and primary schools and strengthen them further.
• Retain strong staff through an encouraging working environment characterised by trust and excellent professional practice.
• Emphasise teaching children critical thinking and empathy alongside core subjects.
• Ensure that preschools and primary schools are built in time to keep pace with population growth in new neighbourhoods.
• Build expertise within the town in teaching Icelandic as a second language in primary schools.
• Strengthen sex education and gender studies education at all school levels.
• Ensure that primary schools and preschools in Garðabær have a notably high proportion of professionally qualified staff.

We will

• Lower preschool fees in steady steps with the goal of making preschools free of charge.
• Reassess the Garðabær preschool system with the aim of providing service that covers the needs of people working full-time.
• Build specialised expertise within the town in teaching Icelandic as a second language through education, advice, and professional support for staff.
• Improve the working environment in preschools and primary schools with a clear human resources policy, good supervision, increased staff support, and an emphasis on retaining experienced employees.
• Introduce regular inspection and maintenance plans for school buildings to prevent mould and moisture damage.
• Engage in dialogue with the school community in Garðabær on building a coordinated approach to gender studies and sex education at all school levels.
• Support schools in integrating critical thinking, empathy training, and democratic participation into daily school life alongside strong teaching in core subjects.

Sports, leisure, and youth affairs

Organised sports, leisure, and youth activities are among the most important preventive measures. They can be crucial to the well-being of children and young people and also hold great cultural importance for our community. In this policy area, we place particular emphasis on public health and social considerations.

We want to

• Support associations that run sports and youth activities through contracts and facility development.
• Develop all policy-making in sports, leisure, and youth affairs with a long-term perspective and take into account the increased pressure on local associations in a rapidly growing town when deciding on funding.
• Place greater emphasis on diverse sports and youth activities so that as many children as possible can find suitable leisure activities.
• Encourage sports clubs to offer activities with room for everyone who is interested, regardless of ability level.
• Ensure equality between sports clubs and other associations in the town with regard to funding, especially those offering organised activities for children and young people.
• Ensure access to organised social activities across neighbourhoods.
•  Work purposefully to increase the participation of children and young people who are less likely to thrive in organised activities, including children with disabilities, LGBTQ+ youth, and those with diverse backgrounds.

We will

• Establish a development fund for sports, leisure, and youth affairs, with an emphasis on inclusion and on keeping young people engaged in organised activities for longer.
• Ensure that the Garðabær Karate Club has facilities in Miðgarður.
• Negotiate with Golfklúbburinn Oddur on the development of winter facilities at Urriðavöllur.
• Provide sibling discounts in sports, leisure, and youth activities through the incentive grant system and raise the incentive grant to ISK 75,000.
• Offer associations that have contracts with the town access to the same human rights and equality education as Garðabær staff receive.
• Move Stjarnan’s football, handball, and basketball activities to the Miðgarður area alongside the planned development of sports facilities there.

Culture

In recent years, cultural life in Garðabær has grown significantly. Garðabæjarlistinn wants to continue that development, because a strong cultural life has a major positive impact on residents’ quality of life and helps create a diverse and vibrant town atmosphere. 

We want to

• Build a strong cultural centre at Garðatorg, with Garðabær Library as its core function and an attractive area for families.
• Strengthen the youth centre Torgið and expand its facilities.
• Make Garðatorg greener. Various ways must be explored to make the square more pleasant and environmentally friendly so it becomes a more interesting and enjoyable destination and meeting place, while also better connecting its different parts.
• Support associations in all neighbourhoods of the town that work on cultural matters, and especially encourage open public events.
• Hold events organised by Garðabær’s culture and museum committee also in Álftanes and Urriðaholt.
• Hold more pop-up markets and art exhibitions at Garðatorg.
• Make art more visible in Garðabær’s public spaces. 

We will

• Keep Garðabær Library open on Sundays.
• Plan and design a cultural centre and place it on the implementation schedule.
• Increase funding to Garðabær Library so that it can better meet modern expectations of public libraries.
• Establish a competition for a new outdoor artwork in Garðabær.

Environment and nature 

Climate action and environmental protection concern us all and affect our long-term quality of life. It is important that municipalities like Garðabær do not compromise on environmental issues. Clear, measurable, time-bound goals, along with realistic, ambitious, and funded actions, are the basis for Garðabær’s success. Garðabæjarlistinn wants to protect nature, both globally and in Garðabær.

We want to

•  Make Garðabær a leading municipality in climate issues and set even more ambitious goals than it has now, both for the municipality’s own carbon emissions and in those areas where it can influence residents’ emissions.
• Update policy, goal-setting, and actions regularly. Policy should be based on and shaped by growing knowledge, research, and monitoring at any given time.
• Always take environmental impacts into account in planning and transport matters.
• Invest in green projects and support climate-friendly innovation.
•  Reduce litter generation, cut waste, increase reuse and recycling. View waste as a resource that circulates repeatedly through production and use.
•  Improve water protection where needed and support the natural condition of freshwater and coastal ecosystems.
• Place strong emphasis on protecting the distinctive natural environment of Garðabær, on land and at sea, and on its biological and geological diversity.

We will

• Update Garðabær’s climate policy regularly and set clearer and more ambitious targets for emission reductions.
• Strengthen education and encouragement for residents and businesses on more sustainable consumption and better resource use.
• Continue strengthening the protection of biological and geological diversity within the town’s land area.
• Strengthen monitoring and public information for residents regarding pollution in streams and along the coastline.