In response to the statement issued by the Opposition regarding social housing, the Ministry for Accommodation and Lands said that the waiting list is a ”dynamic one, where new applications are received every day and at the same time social housing allocations are made.”

The Ministry went on to say that ”as confirmed in a recent parliamentary question, at the end of June the list was around 1,745 applicants, which shows that this is not a static figure, but one that reflects a constantly changing situation.”

”The Housing Authority’s priority is to ensure stability in the sector through a long-term plan. In this context, a record 941 social housing allocations have been made in the last two years,” the Ministry said, ”which has led to the waiting list remaining among its lowest levels in the last 15 years, while the Authority continues to adapt to demand and new trends.”

At the same time, it said, the Authority continues to update and strengthen targeted assistance schemes such as the Rent Benefit, which also provides support to those awaiting a social housing solution.

”Through digital transformation and process improvements, the average processing time for this benefit has decreased significantly, from 69 days to 23 days,” the Ministry said.

It noted that of the ”50,000 people who turned to the Housing Authority, around 18,000 were requests related to the registration of contracts and other services linked to the private residential rental sector.”

Therefore, the Ministry said, ”is not correct to say that all 50,000 cases were requests for assistance.”

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