The government will be allocating €50 million to the Housing Authority for social housing upgrades. This will enable the authority to carry out restoration works at existing properties and to construct new buildings in development zones.
To encourage the improvement and repair of old buildings, grants issued to residents under the subsidy for Adaptation Works in Residences Occupied by Owners or Tenants will be of a maximum of €11,000, up from €10,000.
Grants under the Dangerous Structures Scheme will also increase from €7,000 to €8,000. Next year’s housing estates regeneration programme will include projects in Ħamrun, Ta’ Ġiorni and Pembroke. The authority will also continue carrying out maintenance works at rented buildings in housing estates.
The authority will be working on plans which would enable it to tackle the 2,900 pending applications for social housing. Most of these applications have been pending for years.