Minister of Housing in the Eastern Negev: "We will market 10,000 housing units in the region in the coming year""

June 27, 2024   

As part of the Ministry of Construction and Housing's massive investment in the development and expansion of the eastern Negev settlements: Minister of Construction and Housing, Yitzhak Goldknopf, arrived today (Thursday) for a professional tour of the site, along with the Director General of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, Yehuda Morgenstern, and the Director General of the Housing and Housing Authority, Yankee Quint - and met with the heads of the authorities, with the aim of promoting construction plans, accelerating marketing, reducing gaps and improving public housing in the area. The tour was opened by the Minister of Construction and Housing in the city of Dimona, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Amnon Lipkin Shahak neighborhood in the city, together with Mayor Benny Biton, representatives of the municipality, contractors and developers. The site is expected to house over 2,000 housing units, which will expand the city in a northeasterly direction. After the ceremony, Minister Goldknopf met with Mayor Benny Biton and the professional echelons for an extended working meeting, in which the various challenges that exist in preparation for the city's continued development were discussed. Following the Minister of Construction and Housing's instruction during the discussion to bring up the budget for the connection to Highway 6 in the amount of 72 million NIS for a professional discussion, the mayor announced that the goal for the years 24/25 is to market an additional 10,000 housing units in the city, alongside the renewed roof agreement for the benefit of the city's needs and the strengthening of the entire Negev. Mayor Benny Biton thanked the Minister of Construction and Housing for his activities to strengthen the city. Dimona and the Negev. He detailed the city's continued plans to build new neighborhoods that will also be launched in the near future. The mayor also mentioned the Ministry of Construction and Housing's "Apartment at a Discount" project, for which registration is currently open for approximately 750 housing units in the city at a discounted price of approximately 650,000 NIS. In the Yeruham Regional Council, the Minister of Construction and Housing held a working meeting with Council Head Nili Aharon and the council members, in which they discussed the council's needs, primarily assistance and support for public housing. After being exposed to the difficult cases in the city, the Minister of Construction and Housing instructed the Southern District Director to allocate special resources to meet the unique needs of Yeruham. In addition, the Council Head noted at the meeting that over 300 housing units are currently being marketed in the city and, under the guidance of the minister, a series of steps were discussed that will assist in the development of the next marketing of hundreds of housing units, a move that will trigger an umbrella agreement. Yeruham and will bring significant news to the council. In Mitzpe Ramon, Minister Goldknopf is scheduled for a professional meeting with the head of the Mitzpe Ramon council, Elia Winter. The head of the council noted that currently over 400 housing units are being marketed in the city, which are expected to significantly expand and strengthen the council. The meeting also discussed specific solutions to strengthen and expand the council and public housing in the settlement. The tour was attended by: Deputy Director of New Construction at the Ministry of Construction and Housing Yuri Gemarman, Deputy Director of Human Capital at the Ministry Sharon Cohen, Senior Director of the Properties and Companies Division Netanel Lapidot, Director of the Business Division at the Ministry of Construction and Housing Ruthy Apriat, Director of the Southern District at the Ministry of Construction and Housing Mali Sharvit, Director of the Southern District at the Ministry of Construction and Housing Shai Karp. [Gallery] Minister of Construction and Housing Yitzhak Goldknopf: "I am personally moved to see the development of the Negev and the periphery, especially during the difficult period we have been in since Simchat Torah. The flourishing of the wilderness and the settlement of the Negev is our test as a state. As Minister of Construction and Housing, I am committed to helping as much as I can, to expand and develop the settlements of the Negev. The State of Israel cannot exist only between Gedera and Hadera. It is our duty to provide suitable housing solutions and places of employment in the south and north, in the Negev and the Galilee. Only in this way will we solve the housing shortage." Director General of the Ministry of Construction and Housing Yehuda Morgenstern: "Being here today and seeing the construction and development boom with my own eyes is a very exciting experience. The role of the Ministry of Construction and Housing is to build the country in practice, throughout its length and breadth, and especially these days when the buds of flowering can be seen in the Eastern Negev again, it is even more exciting. Following the government decision that the minister transferred to a development subsidy, the ministry has invested tens of millions of NIS in this area in recent months to accelerate real estate, and I am proud to see the successes of the tenders on the ground, tenders that will become homes for many families and will provide a response to the demand for affordable housing throughout the country. "I am pleased to announce that in dialogue with partners and authorities, we are currently working to create a basket of incentives and solutions for local authorities that will market thousands of housing units in the coming year, thus making the marketing worthwhile for the long-time resident, the local authority, and the new resident." Yankee Quint, CEO of the Israel Land Authority: "I was pleased to see the momentum of development in the Eastern Negev. Local leadership is leading the region to accelerated growth. The Israel Land Authority will continue to develop the periphery even more vigorously.".