In an attempt to increase the chance of winning a discounted housing unit as part of the "Cost of Living" Program, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Minister of Housing and Construction Yoav Galant are upgrading the program.
Within the upgraded framework, the program will now work in two groups. The first group will include all those who already hold eligibility permits for the program, as well as those who will request a permit until September 13, 2016, unless this group reaches its limit of 60,000 permit holders before that date.
The second group will include all those that enroll for the program after group one has filled up or closed, as well as members of group one who are transferred to group two.
Those eligible to be in group one will be asked to enroll for at least one lottery by the end of 2016 in order to stay in group one, and will be allowed to pass up a win from the lottery two times in order to be able to continue to participate in the lottery. If a group one member passes on a win for a third time, he will be transferred to group two.