MK Benjamin Netanyahu, expected to become Israel's next prime minister, will not move into the Prime Minister's Residence for at least another year-and-a-half - even if he assumes the role, Ynet reported.
Instead, the Netanyahu family will live in a private home on Jerusalem's Azza Street, until the renovations at the Balfour Street residence are completed.
The renovations, which began during the previous government's term, are expected to cost approximately 50 million NIS. The renovations are being made by the Defense Ministry, and both security and protection of the residence are being upgraded, along with the infrastructure.
According to the report, the Prime Minister's Office Director-General examined prior to the elections whether it would be possible to speed up the renovations, but the contractors said that the timetable could not be shortened.
Neither former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett nor current caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid lived in the official residence on Balfour Street: Bennett insisted on keeping his family in Ra'anana, requiring extensive and costly renovations to his own home and causing great disturbance to his neighbors.
Lapid announced that he would spare his neighbors a similar experience, and instead moved into an apartment originally intended for security guards, within the secured radius around the official residence.