Answers to some key questions about the new housing policy bill were issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs , which aims to facilitate access to affordable and quality housing for the My House programme. In particular:

1. What does the Home Loan Scheme, My Home, provide and what is the benefit for young couples who join it?

Practically everyone who joins the My House programme, they will pay a mortgage installment that will be much lower than the rent corresponding to the house they chose. The interest rate will correspond to a quarter of commercial interest rates. And anyway it will be zero for three children and Families with many children. Most importantly, by repaying the loan they will acquire the ownership of the house. In addition, the loan will cover a higher percentage of the commercial value of the property (90%) compared to mortgage loans from banks that usually cover up to 80%. This means that the private participation that young people must contribute is decreasing strong in the 10% of the value of the house. In the banks' contracts, the percentage provided is set at 20.

Also, with this program, households that gain access to bank loans under normal circumstances would hardly meet the bank's financing criteria gain access to bank loans.

2. What are the new elements in the Youth Home LoanScheme?

Some new elements have been added in relation to the initial announcements that aim to speed up the implementation of the action but also to protect against potential abuse. Specifically:

– A ceiling of 200,000 euros was placed on the value of the residence that beneficiaries can purchase. This prevents the purchase of luxury construction with the subsidised loan of the programme My house.

– The purchase of the property by a first degree relative of the borrower is prohibited.

- It is clarified that there will be no guarantor of the loan.

– There is an 8-month deadline (6 months initially with the possibility of an extension of 2 months) from the pre-approval of the loan until the signing of the loan agreement. This prevents delays that would bind the loan funds at the expense of other beneficiaries who have closed the agreement to purchase the property.

3. The housing loan granting program provides for a ceiling of 150,000 euros on the amount of the loan. Do you consider this limit realistic? Are there any houses at this price level?

In dozens of inner city areas and in the periphery there are properties available in this size class that can meet the housing needs of young people. Indicative:

• the objective values in Agia Paraskevi range from 1500-2050 euros per square meter
• in Marousi 1500-2300 euros
• in Pefki 1300-2250 euros
• in the 4th Municipal District of Thessaloniki (Toumba) 1250 - 1550 euros

Recall that the property values refer to newly built properties while the House of My House mortgage program concerns properties built up to 2007, whose values are obviously lower than those of newly built properties.

Obviously there are much more expensive properties, but we must not forget that we are dealing with a social program to facilitate the acquisition of housing, which aims to free young people from significant costs, uncertainties and problems. The limit of 150,000 euros as well as the ceiling of 200,000 euros in the value of the property is the golden ratio between the limits set by the market and the need to join the program as many beneficiaries as possible.

4. What is the "Coverage" program and who can join it?

The "Coverage" scheme is based on the empty houses that will be released from the "Housing" scheme. A program through which more than 1000 private houses were rented from the State. Then these were made available for a transitional period to immigrants. The "Estia" program expires on December 31st. Immediately after these residences, (provided of course that their owners agree) they will be repaired if necessary at the expense of the State. They will be made available for free or at very low rent to vulnerable young people aged 25-39, beneficiaries of the Minimum Guaranteed Income. Priority will be given to multi-child, three-child and single-parent families with objective criteria (scoring). The program will be implemented by the General Secretariat of Social Solidarity and Combating Poverty of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

5. How will the partnership between the State and technical companies work in "social compensation"?

The basic philosophy of the programme My house, as announced, is that public bodies (PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICE and others) will contribute undeveloped and underutilized land on which technical companies will be invited to build houses and shops on the basis of the specifications set out in the tender notice. The companies will be repaid by the exploitation of the properties but will have the obligation to make available a percentage of the housing with low rents to the beneficiaries of the social compensation program. Also, the State body will retain ownership of the properties. The duration of the concession will be defined in the tender announcement as it cannot be uniform for all areas and land values. The aim is to house the beneficiaries in quality properties but also to ensure that the program will attract the interest of the private sector.

6. The opposition accuses you of giving away public property to large contractors with social benefits. What do you answer?

With the new institution of "social consideration", the idle real estate of the public is available, without losing the ownership of the land, in long-term concessions to private individuals who ensure with contractual obligations the construction of modern houses which will be available at cheap rents. This is the most widespread practice of social housing which has ensured that 20-25% of properties in Austria or the Netherlands are available at regulated low rents. Similar initiatives have been taken in socialist Spain. Don't those who criticize easily know this?

With the social counterpart and the My House programme, the State contributes properties that are not used and remain unused, private individuals, after a tender, undertake to build houses at their own expense and to state specifications, with the obligation to build and make a percentage of them available to the beneficiaries at low rents. In this way, cheap housing is ensured for those who join the program, the property of the State and especially of PES is utilized, the building is started and the practice of the "ghetto" of workers' housing is abandoned. The State retains ownership of the properties in any case and the fastest supply of social housing is ensured.

7. What is the "Renovate - Rent" Program and how is it different from "Save?"

The "Renovate - Rent" program provides subsidies for the renovation of closed houses in order to make them available for rent. In other words, it aims to increase the supply of housing by providing incentives for empty properties to be used again, once they are restored to a condition that can be used. The "Save" programs in which thousands of homes have joined concern properties that are already used as a first home, owner-occupied or rented. It is recalled that through the "Renovate - Rent" program, subsidies of up to 40% (with a limit of 10,000 euros) are provided for the renovation of houses (works and materials), up to 100 sq.m. in urban centers in order to make them available for lease. The home owner must have a family taxable income of up to €40,000 and real estate up to €300,000 and the home must be declared vacant on the E2 form. The Program Guide has already been pre-published.

8. Why is there a need to add a new specific planning use for social housing and the My House programme?

This ensures that public buildings that previously had a different use (for example, hotels or schools, etc.) can be used as social housing without zoning barriers, as long as the general use that applies in the area (residential, urban center, public benefit functions, etc.) .etc.) allows it.

9. What does the regulation provide for the revocation of concessions of public properties?

It has been established that public bodies have granted their properties for the fulfillment of a specific public purpose (e.g. to house the services of a Municipality or to serve cultural purposes) without, however, while a long period of time has passed, this purpose has been fulfilled . The regulation introduced foresees that all the bodies of the General Government are invited to examine the real estate concessions they have made and if 15 years have passed without their purpose being fulfilled, to proceed with the revocation of the concession. The period of 15 years is judged to be more than sufficient in order to draw the conclusion as to whether there is the will and/or the possibility to fulfill the purpose.

In addition, a two-month deadline is set in which the concessionaire can document the need to continue the concession if deemed necessary. In any case, it is not conceivable that State properties remain tied up and unused while they can be used for housing families.

10. What programs can property owners participate in?

Owners have multiple benefits. The owners e.g. who will participate in the "Coverage" program. They will have a guaranteed income from the rent paid by the state, for their homes, which will be allocated to new beneficiaries of the Minimum Guaranteed Income. The state also undertakes the repairs.

On the other hand, the mass utilization program of closed private houses provides that their owners will grant them for at least 5 years to the state. Then the state will undertake to renovate them and make them available to young people and new couples.

With the "Renovate-Rent" program, owners of closed houses will be subsidized to renovate them. Condition to make them available for a lease of at least 3 years.

Finally, there is the "Save - Renovate" program. It provides for a combination of subsidy and interest-free or low-interest loans to young people for the renovation and energy upgrade of homes they own.

11. Why is there a need to pass a new bill on the housing policy of the My House programme? Is the existing institutional framework insufficient?

It was already pointed out during the presentation of the programs that a number of new provisions will need to be passed to implement or accelerate the implementation of the government's new housing strategy. After all, in recent years the state has been absent from the field of housing policy. New tools have been added, such as social compensation. Tools that should be added to the PES "toolbox" in order to be implemented quickly and transparently.