MK Yaakov Asher
MK Yaakov Asherphoto: Flash 90

MK Yaakov Asher (United Torah Judaism) appealed to the Housing department of the Finance Ministry to ensure that specially subsidized housing projects for the haredi sector do indeed reach this population.

According to MK Asher, the fact that those who win the right to live in the subsidized housing are able to sell them in five years is causing distortions in the housing market.

“People who are not appropriate to the projects earmarked for haredim are winning the rights to these apartments and turning them into financial transactions,” said Asher. "The state designates subsidized mortgage projects for the haredi population, but many who are registering for the housing lottery do not meet the definition of Ultra-Orthodox, with the intention that if they do not fit the character of the place, they will sell their apartments in five years," he said.

He presented figures showing that in the Ramat Shlomo project, north of Jerusalem, 12 thousand people competed for hundreds of apartments, and that a large part of the candidates do not meet the definition of haredi.

Avigdor Yitzhaki, Chairman of the Housing Finance Ministry did not deny that those who win the right to the subsidized housing can sell their apartments in five years. He affirmed that they need to explore ways to ensure that the projects designated for the haredi population are actually occupied by members of this sector and help alleviate the housing shortage in the haredi sector.