The problem with municipal housing dates back decades. Unfortunately, more and more people meet the requirements for applying for municipal housing, and their number is extremely insufficient. The construction of new ones is almost not being implemented. This requires changes to the regulation for the management of municipal housing in the capital. Among the proposed changes are: the municipality to invest in the construction of new municipal housing, to expand the group of people who have access to such properties, as well as for young families (editor's note: up to 35 years of age). It is also planned that mass sales will be significantly limited.
The method of forming rents will also be changed. In the category "normal rent", housing will be able to be rented by socially disadvantaged people. The price for them will be preferential for a period of 5 years. The other category will be "market rent". Here, the apartments will be able to be rented for up to 7 years, and the monthly rent will be able to be updated. After this period, documents will have to be submitted again in order to establish whether the tenants still meet the criteria for obtaining the right to live in municipal housing. The third group of rentals are "indefinite". This group includes pensioners and people with disabilities over 71%.
The goal of the changes is to create a long-term strategy for managing the municipal housing stock in the capital. The goal is also to build new municipal housing. Currently, their number is nearly 7,000, while 30 years ago there were nearly 100,000. The majority of the housing is in very poor condition and the municipality needs to repair them. The funds for the construction of new and renovation of existing ones must come from the rents of the available properties.
Currently, the practice is for the municipality to provide its own land, on which investors build buildings in exchange for the right to build, and in return for the land, the municipality receives compensation in the form of apartments. With the future construction fund, the municipality could be an active investor and build and rent out new housing.
With the changes in the ordinance, purchasing a municipal apartment will practically be "mission impossible". A municipal apartment will be sold if the property has not been rented out for 10 years. However, this means that it is in poor condition. Then it will be put up for public auction, councilors explained. Within 2 years after the adoption of the new regulation, tenants who are accommodated under the old regulation and meet its conditions will be able to request to purchase the property.
Detailed statistics on average property prices in Bulgaria by city and neighborhood can be seen HERE