Approximately 450 social homes are planned to be constructed in 12 localities for about 1,600 persons. In a response to an inquiry made by IPN, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development said that actions are now being taken to initiate and sign the lending agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Council of Europe Development Bank for financing the project. The estimated cost of the initiative is €34 million.
The project to build social homes in the Republic of Moldova, phases I and II, produced a total of 926 social homes with the total area of 44,468.95 square meters. Within the first stage of the project, there were erected two apartment buildings in Chisinau, one apartment building in Glodeni and one block of flats in Criuleni. At the next phase, apartment buildings were constructed in Călărași, Briceni, Soroca and other towns. The Government’s action plan for 2023 envisions the launch of the third phase of the project to build social housing, which also envisions the reconstruction of student dorms and the building or reconstruction of old people’s homes. It is planned to modernize the student dorms in four towns with the capacity of about 750 places and the building or reconstruction of old people’s homes in 16 localities with the capacity to accommodate about 800 persons.
The social housing can be rented by persons or families whose monthly incomes per member do not exceed the minimum substance level in the country (2,485 lei in the first half of 2022) and that cumulatively meet a number of conditions. The applicants must not own a house or a building lot. Those who sold the house during the past five years or earlier received support from the state or the local public authorities, including preferential loans, for purchasing a house are not eligible.
Priority in obtaining a social home is given to persons with severe disabilities who do not work due to their state of health or to persons who look for minors with severe disabilities, families with triplets, quadruplets or more children born at once, orphans who came of age and didn’t receive dwellings from the state and young families that do not own a home.
Applications for social homes can be submitted to the district council or the local council, depending on the case. Before providing the homes, a special commission examines the living condition of each person put on the succession order list of applicants and presents its proposals to the district/local council. The lease on the social home is valid for a period of up to five years and can be extended if the conditions for benefitting from social housing are further met.
When the lease agreement is signed, the sides agree the size of rental that will include the current maintenance costs for the rented home, extensive building repair fees, current maintenance costs for common spaces and other payments. After the contract is signed, no other additional payments can be requested. Besides rental, the dweller is obliged to pay for public utilities according to the received bills.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development noted the number of free social homes varies each year. At the moment, 25 social homes are available in Hâncești district. Forty-nine social homes are being erected in Cimișlia town, while 72 homes are being constructed in Rezina town.
