This Tuesday, Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Eli Yishai visited Raanana, touring the city’s various sites, accompanied by Mayor Nahum Hofree.

As per the request of the mayor, who is working to promote affordable housing, part of the minister’s visit was dedicated to a tour of the area scheduled for the housing.

Mayor Nahum Hofree discussed the various construction projects currently under discussion at the different planning institutions:  Raanana plan 2015 – that includes the construction of 3,500 residential units currently under deliberation, the Raanana plan 2014 – Neot Uzi, named for the late Deputy Mayor Uzi Cohen, that includes the construction of 400 residential units, of which 250 will be affordable housing units – awaiting approval by the regional committee and Raanana plan 2016 that includes 160 residential units designated as affordable housing.  This plan was discussed at the regional committee a few days ago.

The Interior Minister was very impressed with the municipal community activity and mentioned that the Raanana community is a symbol of harmony and fraternity between the different sectors of the population and he promised to work to promote the subject of housing for the city’s young couples.

Mayor Nahum Hofree: “We must ensure affordable housing for our children, to help them remain in Raanana.  The Interior Minister’s visit is very important, and he was given an up-close look at the construction plans and now we can work together to promote our goal of affordable housing for Raanana’s young couples.”

Interior Minister:  “In any planning and construction reform process, my priority is to make housing accessible and readily available for young couples, who are purchasing their first apartment.  The bureaucracy must assist the citizen, and it is not the citizen’s responsibility to strengthen the bureaucracy.”

The Raanana Municipality works on behalf of promoting three projects with the planning institutions in order to increase the supply of housing in the city and to provide a solution to the high demand and to meet the needs of many young families.  In the coming decade, the municipality will promote additional projects in the city’s southern and western sections, so that in total the projects up for discussion at the planning commissions will provide an additional 8,000 residential units in the next two decades.

The municipality is also encouraging apartment committees to make use of the TAMA 38 program for strengthening their building and to date, the local committee has approved 8 plans, of which 3 building permits have been issued and work has begun to strengthen the buildings.  The local committee will be reviewing many additional requests.

In the photo:  The mayor and Minister Eli Yishai near the area scheduled for the Neot Uzi neighborhood.  Photographer:  Sharon Bokov.