The Israel Affordable Housing Center (IAHC) was established to develop new tools in the field of housing and urban regeneration and to advance policies to help medium and low-income households in Israel secure adequate and affordable housing.
The Center is part of the Faculty of Law of Tel Aviv University and is dedicated to applied research in the field of housing and the drafting of legislation and development of new policy tools for use in this area.
WHY ARE WE HERE?
The lack of affordable housing is one of the most acute social issues today in Israel and is affecting a growing part of the society. The ability to create housing units with rental or purchase prices within the reach of individuals and families with middle- to low-level incomes is limited, especially in high-demand urban areas and within the context of urban-regeneration projects. The IAHC is here to meet that challenge.
WHY ARE WE UNIQUE?
The IAHC is the only organization in Israel dedicated primarily to the advancement of affordable housing policies.
In addition, it is the only organization working in social urban development based on legal expertise and combining legal expertise with other professional knowledge relevant to housing policy.
Moreover, the IAHC is among few bodies in Israel committed to the continuous combination between tangible ‘on the ground’ projects, applied research and policy promotion in the field of social urban development.
IS IT WORKING?
IAHC’s achievements include:
1. Enactment of a key amendment to the Planning and Construction Law (Amendment no. 120 - inclusionary zoning) developed by the IAHC that removes one of Israel’s main barriers to affordable housing by authorizing planning committees to include affordable housing in city plans;
2.The decision to (partially) adopt the outline proposed by the IAHC to create more than 6,000 affordable and social housing units within the Sde Dov Redevelopment Plan;
3. Legislation that provides protections for and safeguards the rights of the elderly in urban regeneration.
4. Significantly improving the legislation that established the Urban-Regeneration National Authority,