After a month-long freeze: Amidar and Amigur authorized to resume public housing renovations

After a month-long freeze imposed due to budgetary constraints, the companies Amidar and Amigur have received approval to resume public housing renovations. The freeze delayed the occupancy of about 100 apartments. The budget was transferred after the defeat of the public housing bill in the Knesset.

After a month-long freeze imposed on public housing renovations, the companies Amidar and Amigur have received approval to resume work. The freeze was imposed at the end of June following a notice from the Ministries of Finance and Housing about exceptional budgetary constraints, which prohibited preparing old apartments for occupancy, performing deep renovations, and general maintenance work. According to estimates, the freeze delayed the occupancy of about 100 apartments. The Ministry of Housing has not yet provided an explanation for the circumstances of the freeze, even though it has a budget of about 300 million shekels for ongoing renovations. The release of funds comes against the backdrop of the transfer of 450 million shekels from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Housing, after the coalition defeated the public housing bill that would have allowed tenants to purchase their apartments at a discount. Chairman of the Interior Committee, MK Yitzhak Kroizer, reached an agreement with the Treasury: in exchange for halting the legislation, he received a promise for a new budget for renovating apartments and increasing inventory.