The Ministry of Housing and Construction is set to open the registration for the discounted housing lottery for thousands of affordable apartments across Israel.
Registration for the lottery will open on Dec. 26 and last for six weeks, closing on Feb. 6, 2024, as first reported by the daily newspaper Hamodia.
Applicants who register for Israel's housing lottery will need to meet several criteria to be eligible for the prize. Registration will only be allowed for people without housing and who possess a valid eligibility certificate, which can be obtained until Jan. 21, 2024.
Residents who want to register for the lottery can list for a chance at affordable housing for up to three cities. They can also register for all corresponding lotteries in those cities. However, people who won housing through the country's secondary housing grant program cannot register for the lottery.
The housing ministry will send the lottery results via email to all registered individuals. The results can also be accessed through text messages and the lottery website. The ministry will prioritize active reserve soldiers and households with disabled children.
"At the end of the lottery, thousands of families will have the opportunity to purchase an apartment at a significant discount, thanks to the state's support in building their homes in Israel," Minister of Housing and Construction, Rabbi Yitzchak Goldknopf, said, as quoted by the Jerusalem Post.
"Additionally, a thousand families have been informed today that they will receive a grant of NIS 50,000 to purchase a second-hand apartment. I wish them great success. We will continue working to provide suitable housing solutions for young couples and families in Israel, ensuring decent housing for all citizens of the country."
Israel's Affordable Housing Initiative
This is not the first time that the housing ministry has sold affordable housing. Last year, the ministry listed some 30,000 affordable housing units for sale. That initiative encompassed over 80 cities and towns across Israel.
In October, Israel's housing lottery project put up 3,300 housing units at a discounted rate of 20% less than the market value under the "Target Price" initiative. That initiative prioritized first-time homebuyers, young families, and single-parent households.
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