Housing Minister (Kulanu) Yoav Galant addressed the nationwide housing shortage in statements made on Tuesday, 11 Shevat during an interview with Mordechai Lavi of Kol Chai Radio.
He explained that in 2016, 40,000 apartments were marketed – adding that in another 25 years, Israel will need one million apartments of which 18% will be required for the chareidi tzibur. He went on to explain that yes, the fears are founded as there are mayors who are afraid of permitting chareidim into their cities.
He stated that the number of permits in 2017 will double the number given in 2014 but it takes time for them to actualize since it is a process from planning to construction.
According to Galant, “to build and sell a 100-square meter apartment including taxes and profit costs NIS 600,000. Anything above this amount goes to other expenses. Efforts are ongoing to reduce the costs and the remuneration given the state for the land to a minimum”.
Galant explains mayors fear that if many chareidim move to an area, the character of that area will change and they are opposed to this. He feels in the larger cities it is “batul b’shishim” but mayors of smaller cities are unwilling to gamble as they do not wish to see the character of their homes to be changed by an influx of chareidim.
Galant added, “Many ask why don’t they just take an empty mountain near Jerusalem and build? The state works in line with certain laws and processes, and this includes permitting persons to object to construction. This is the balance in a democratic country. There is land that is designated for construction, the material which we work with, and while there is a lot of land, there is a shortage of land allocated for building”.
Galant, a retired IDF major-general, addressed rumors that he is moving to Likud from Kulanu. He explained that he is a member of most government security forums and it is entirely likely that he will run under the Likud banner in the next election.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Former CO of Southern Command and ex-naval commando Galant couldn’t find a way to reassure the nebach frightened mayors. How sad!
It is all politics. The secular mayors are afraid of losing votes with an influx of chareidim. 2,000 units for chareidim will not give them electoral power to have a religious mayor, but it can influence election outcomes if they choose to support the incumbent mayor’s opposition. They know that chareidim will not change their secular way of life. In all mixed neighborhoods, the roads are open and there are no restrictions on anyone. It all begins and ends with politics.
Or Secular Mayors are frightened of land grabs like what occurred in Arad, that a community shul was nabbed by new Charedi residents!!!
Unfortunately, there have been too many cases where Chareidim moving into established secular communities have sought to change the character of those cities to conform to their own hashkafah rather than living side-by-side with their secular neighbors. If locals want to drive on Shabbos or play soccer or whatever, that is their right in EY, even though we hope everyone learns to love the beauty of shamiras Shabbos.