A large number of units will start to be built in 2025, said the Director of the Cyprus Land Development Agency (CLA) Eleni Symeonidou, before the Parliamentary Finance Committee, which examined on Monday the CLA's budget for 2025, which foresees revenues of more than 33 cm. and expenses of 35 million euro.
The Director of KOAG said that "our big income" will come from the sale of houses, apartments and plots of land, while "we have some serious income from the additional building rate that we receive from the application of specific incentives".
Analyzing the projects that are in progress by KOAG, Ms. Symeonidou said that we will make a large number of units that will start in 2025 and will involve projects in Pallouriotissa (apartments), Aglantzia, Limassol and Lakatamia and "we will proceed with the separation of a total of 96 plots in the provinces of Nicosia, Limassol, Paphos and Larnaca.
He noted that there are residences in Kokkinotrimithia, apartments in Larnaca which are already for sale, two large residential developments in Polemidia and Agios Dometios.
Regarding the Affordable Rent Plan, Ms. Symeonidou said that the project has taken the direction it needs and we have arrived at the assessment of the value of the land, the tax obligations of the parties have been calculated and "in the next few days we will schedule a meeting with the Land Registry" to submit "our estimates for the amount of consideration".
He stated that the COAG has evaluated the offer of the contractor who "is ready to start construction work as soon as we give him the green light" and added that the first phase will have 138 apartments and the first apartment building to be erected will have 36 units.
He also said that the Municipality of Limassol would like to allocate three blocks and the development that has reached this stage concerns one block.
The President of KOAG, Elena Koussiu Hatjidimitriou, said that the main problem is that our beneficiaries cannot be given loans because they do not have the money for a 20% advance and added that "it is a matter of the banks to show a more humane face".
Regarding the Renovate and Rent Plan, Ms. Hadjidimitriou said that it is something that started now and cannot be judged and added that it is positive that there are applications and there are registrations on the application platform.
In statements after the Committee session, its President, Deputy President of DIKO, Christiana Erotokritou, said that "the new programs of KOAG are the ones that will help the most in alleviating the huge problem of finding affordable housing, especially in the difficult economic conditions".
"We have been informed that the new programs that have been announced, those concerning 'Renovate and rent' and those concerning urban planning incentives for the issues of affordable housing, seem to have acquired a particularly increased momentum, as a result of which there a lot more applications and a lot more interest than what was initially seen," he added.
Ms. Erotokritou said that they expect that "within the next period of time these will obviously be transformed into an increased number of houses or apartments that will be on the market, so that every Cypriot man and every Cypriot woman who meets the criteria can have their own her or his own house'.
AKEL Member of Parliament, Andreas Kavkalias, said that while "the housing crisis in Cyprus is worsening dramatically, the Government is responding to the problem with announcements upon announcements" and added that "the new housing plans that would operate in the first quarter of 2024, on ground, have not produced any substantial results".
Regarding the creation of housing stock, Mr. Kavkalias said that "the number of available units is very small, but even where there are available units, the beneficiaries cannot acquire them, because they do not have the necessary financing", while in relation to the plan for affordable rent, he said that "there are huge delays in the implementation of projects, in all provinces".
He also said that the "Renovate and rent" plan, as it has been established today, is still in the plans, while in relation to the plan for urban planning incentives he said that "all we have are 5 agreements for 25 residential units. Given also in this case, the problem of financing the beneficiaries".
In our view, as AKEL, we have said it many times, the Cyprus Land Development Organization should have a decisive role in dealing with the housing problem, he said, and added that "the OCAG should be upgraded, supported and be the main pillar, the Central Housing Policy Agency of the State".
The Parliamentary Representative of the Democratic Party - Cooperation of Democratic Forces, Alekos Trifonidis, said that the role of the OCAG, especially these days with the huge housing problem we are facing, is becoming even more important, which is why we support the Organization throughout time.
He stated that DIPA - Collaboration has "requested the acceleration of projects that are already underway or are scheduled to begin in the next few months, and which are expected to increase the available housing units, offering affordable housing and housing at an affordable rent for a number of our compatriots".
He also mentioned that the COAG will be involved in the new housing policy that has been announced by the Government in relation to the utilization of urban planning incentives and the implementation of the Renovate - Rent Plan.
Additionally, Mr. Tryfonidis said that "the role of KOAG is very important in promoting affordable rent projects such as 4 apartment buildings in Agios Nikolaos in collaboration with the Municipality of Limassol with a total capacity of 138 residential units".
At the same time, we have called on the OCAG to be actively involved with similar plans in the mountainous areas as well, he said, and added that these areas must be supported and that is why generous plans and incentives must be given.
He also mentioned that it is a timeless proposal of DIPA-Synergasia, which is also a position of the pre-election program of President Christodoulidis, for the creation of a Unified Housing Policy Agency, the creation of which will solve many of the problems that exist.
He stated that in this Agency, the role of the OCAG will be decisive, since "it will be able to undertake the coordination of all housing programs involved in the field of housing policy and which are scattered in various Ministries, services and organizations, with the participation of the Organization of Housing Financing and KEDIPES".