Minister for Social Accommodation Roderick Galdes announced a new policy for the allocation of new social accommodation, in what has been described as a red-letter day for the social sector in our country.
Now that the project to build 1,700 new social housing units is in its final stages, an allocation policy has been announced which, in the words of Minister Roderick Galdes, will look after those in need while driving forward social mobility.
Minister Galdes announced that the new homes will not be for sale and at no point will it be possible to permanently acquire them. In order for the Housing Authority to be able to monitor the economic and social progress of the beneficiaries, the monitoring of the beneficiaries will be increased and they will be subject to regular audits of their income and assets within stipulated periods. The social rent will be proportional to the resident’s income.
The system for recognizing children and people living with beneficiaries of social housing will be updated to ensure that social housing remains available only to those in need. At the same time, elderly and other people who decide to exchange their social housing unit for a smaller dwelling will be incentivized.
“In its simplicity, this new allocation policy is revolutionary,” claimed Minister Galdes. “We are moving away from the politics of the past where these houses were used as political pawns and progressing to a method that offers tangible benefits to those who are suffering from specific challenges.”
He described this allocation policy as mature and reflecting a holistic vision for the future of Maltese society.
The Minister for Social Accommodation stated that it was no longer enough to limit housing assistance to simply providing a roof. In fact, in the near future, the government will continue to strengthen the range of services that complement social accommodation to address the challenges that have placed families in need in this position.
The new allocation policy reflects a system that is bringing social progress. This has been proven to be a successful system, as last week it was announced that the waiting list for alternative accommodation had decreased by almost half.
