Kfar Saba Faces State Ultimatum Over Omitted Building Violation Survey
The Land Enforcement Administration issued a 14-day ultimatum to Kfar Saba Mayor Rafi Sa'ar over the city's failure to complete a mandatory building violation survey, threatening external intervention at the municipality's expense.
The Land Enforcement Administration has intensified pressure on local authorities failing to address building violations, issuing a formal warning to Kfar Saba Mayor Rafi Sa'ar over the municipality's failure to conduct a mandatory construction offense survey.
According to the Administration, 17 local planning and building committees across the country have neglected to carry out the required surveys, violating the Planning and Building Law. The list of non-compliant committees includes Kfar Saba, Ramat HaSharon, Dimona, Tayibe, Tira, and others. Kfar Saba was given a 14-day ultimatum to initiate the survey, failing which the state will hire an external contractor to perform the work at double the cost, charged directly to the municipality.
Under national regulations, local committees are legally obligated to conduct building violation surveys and update them every five years to ensure systematic enforcement. Although the Administration issued an initial directive in September 2024 with a deadline of June 30, 2025, followed by multiple reminders, Kfar Saba has yet to submit the required data.
The escalation comes shortly after Mayor Rafi Sa'ar and his wife were released to house arrest following a two-week detention amid a municipal corruption investigation. The Administration emphasized that conducting these surveys is a fundamental tool for upholding the rule of law and ensuring transparent enforcement against illegal construction.
