Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat asked Housing Minister Ariel Attias and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, on Monday, to change the eligibility criteria for housing under the "Occupant's Price" program, to include young couples, holders of academic degrees, active military reservists and those bringing in a salary or its equivalent.
Barkat said the current criteria essentially help the hareidi religious community but have to serve the Zionist population. In these days of a national housing crisis, the mix of criteria must be changed and adapted to the general population."