‘Nikru biex Nassistu’ housing scheme renewed
The scheme allows the Housing Authority to rent private properties and use them for social housing
A housing scheme aimed at leasing private properties to the Housing Authority for the use of social accommodation has been renewed for another year, the Housing Authority Minister announced on Monday.
Over 1,300 families live in properties that fall under the scheme, Roderick Galdes said during a press conference on the renewal of ‘Nikru Biex Nassistu’.
The scheme provides an opportunity for landlords and property owners to lease their residential properties to the Housing Authority to be used for social housing purposes.
The properties are leased for 10 years, and rent is paid in advance every six months to the landlords, covered by the Housing Authority. The owner also benefits from a property tax exemption and an annual two per cent rent increase.
In the first six months of this year, the Housing Authority spent more than €5 million to rent properties, Galdes said, with close to €38 million invested in the scheme since its launch back in 2017.
He said the renewed scheme includes a feature aimed at encouraging landlords to join when their tenants are already on the Housing Authority’s waiting list. He said the measure is to reduce the number of families waiting for social housing while keeping them in their current communities.
He described the scheme as one of the innovative tools being used to address the waiting list. He said the list has been reduced by half in the last eight years.