Al-Quds suffers from absence of housing strategy

Since it was occupied by Israel in 1967, the city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) has been suffering from the absence of a housing strategy which drove over 20,000 Palestinians to live in the city suburbs and deprived them from the status of residents, says a report by general manager of Beit Al-Mal Al-Quds agency.

The report, published on Friday as the agency held a meeting in Rabat of its tutorship council, says the 20,000 Palestinians are therefore denied construction permits that go exclusively to persons enjoying the status of residents.

The reports also recalls that during the Marrakesh meeting held in February 2000, an amount of US$ 4 million was allocated to the sector of housing for the construction of 85 new houses and refurbishment of 133 others. These funds have contributed to defuse the housing problem and help a large number of Palestinian refugees return to the city. It was also behind a 20% cut in house prices and encouraged Palestinians to apply for construction permits. The monthly average of construction permits applications reached 20.

Meanwhile, the report underscored the need to carry on the program and ponder on new means to meet needs of citizens who do not own a land plot to match the growing return of Palestinian hailing from Al-Quds to their city.

The Palestinian housing council has extended individual loans for 216 houses and approved an additional 411 applications for loans, the report goes on estimating needs at US$ 10 million to carry on the individual loan project and guarantee housing to Palestinians in the city.

Of old houses refurbishment and renovation program which got so far US$ one million, the report says it is presently projected to favor loaning to new houses rather than restoring old ones.