Israel Restores Apartment Owners' Access to Discounted Housing Lotteries
Israel's Discounted Apartment program resumes allowing current property owners to join housing lotteries under the condition they sell their existing home within a year. New lotteries feature discounted units across peripheral cities.
The popular discounted housing program in Israel, known as "Discounted Apartment" (Dirah B'Hisacha), is welcoming back apartment owners after a three-year hiatus. The policy change allows thousands of families who currently own property to participate in upcoming housing lotteries, provided they sell their existing home within 12 months of moving into the new property.
Registration for the current lottery round is open for the next 10 days, featuring apartments predominantly located in peripheral cities. In Beit She'an, a project by Avraham Eliyahu & Sons offers two apartments at 4,090 NIS per square meter before discounts, plus a 60,000 NIS government grant. Winners of a 3-room apartment here can expect a final price of approximately 488,000 NIS.
Additional projects include six apartments in Dimona by Abal Building and Development, priced at 5,444 NIS per square meter with a 40,000 NIS grant, where a 3-room unit costs roughly 581,000 NIS. In Haifa, two projects by Shatit Ltd. offer 41 apartments combined at prices ranging between 7,994 and 8,144 NIS per square meter, with a 3-room apartment priced at about 842,000 NIS.
Meanwhile, in Harish, 53 larger units are available at 12,400 NIS per square meter without grants, reaching 1.634 million NIS for a 5-room apartment and 1.894 million NIS for a 6-room unit. To participate, eligible citizens must obtain a certificate of eligibility through authorized registration companies listed on the official housing portal.
Bank of Jerusalem CEO Yair Kaplan recently criticized the current lottery framework, calling for a transition to direct personal assistance based on income testing rather than halted construction cycles. Kaplan argued that releasing stalled beneficiaries could significantly revitalize market activity across sales offices.
