Construction of the first new refugee homes will begin in July, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Tuesday, during a House refugee committee session.
Ioannou updated the committee on the ‘Ktizo’ launched by the government earlier this year after dozens of refugee apartment buildings and homes were deemed unsafe.
In total 43 blocks of flats were considered unsafe and the first phase of the project will see 20 of them knocked down and rebuilt.
The minister said 77.6 per cent of those living there (287 beneficiaries) have expressed interest in participating in the project, while 6.5 per cent (24 beneficiaries) have expressed their wish not to participate. At the same time, 165 people have chosen to move out and have their rent subsidised, while storage space has been provided for 25 of them.
Ioannou said five apartment buildings located in the municipality of Latsia have already been evacuated and demolished.
He said in cases of apartment buildings that were not fully evacuated, and under the Roads and Buildings Regulation Law, the competent authority for the issuance of an order for the evacuation of an unfit and dangerous building is the local authority/municipality.
“It is up to the municipalities to activate the provisions of the legislation for issuing an ordinance,” he said.
In cases where there are delays in the completion of the reconstruction due to the fault of the state, the ministry will continue to provide rent allowance to the beneficiaries until the completion of the project.
“However, in case the delay is caused by the fault of the beneficiaries (e.g. they refuse to vacate the apartments, do not agree on procedural matters such as selection of a coordinator, sharing of apartments, etc.), then the rent allowance will be discontinued after the predetermined period of time,” he said.
For one building in Latsia a tender has already been awarded, while for a second in Strovolos offers are expected to be received by Friday.
Tenders for the other buildings are being prepared.
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