Promoting policies and legislation
Influencing legislation
Conducting an active ongoing dialogue with the Knesset and its Committees as well as relevant Government Ministries, IAHC has been highly instrumental in legislative processes that generated several important urban renewal and affordable housing laws:
urban renewal
Law for the Government Authority for Urban Renewal
A law establishing a specially dedicated national agency addressing all issues and aspects of urban renewal: Protecting public housing tenants; Utilizing municipal agencies to empower underserved populations in urban renewal processes; Involving current residents in the process of urban renewal (Approved 2016).
(Knesset's Special Committee for Discussing the Government Authority for Urban Renewal Bill, 2015-2016)
affordable housing
Planning and Construction Law – Amendment 120: Law for Generating Affordable Housing –
Enabling local and regional committees to plan long-term rental solutions at up to 40% less than the going rate. This revolutionary legislation promoted by the IAHC in cooperation with MK Roy Folkman allows Israeli municipalities, for the first time, to define and implement their own affordable housing policies (Approved 2018).
(Knesset, 2018)
High-impact project: Social housing at Sde Dov
(2016-present)
Background:
Sde Dov, a domestic airfield located in the affluent, high-demand area of north Tel Aviv, was closed down in July 2019, to make room for a huge housing development project: 16,000 new units for over 40,000 residents on an area of approximately 360 acres. While the government claims that the project will contribute to solving the current housing crisis, IAHC research indicates that prices will be far from affordable for low/middle-class Israelis.
Our involvement:
IAHC has been involved in the social housing aspect of the Sde Dov project for several years, in an ongoing effort to influence its planning and implementation. An in-depth IAHC study of the proposed project led to a paper published in Sept. 2016, which presented a practicable plan for incorporating affordable social housing into the Sde Dov Master Plan – allocating 10% of the units for public housing and 25% for affordable housing. This was followed by continual and watchful monitoring of the procedures regarding the Sde Dov project. In March 2020 the Tel Aviv Regional Planning & Construction Committe finally approved the Sde Dov plan allocating 2,400 publicly owned affordable housing units and 4,500 privately owned 'special' units that may be developed as long term rental affordable housing.
Impacting national and local policies
Guide for generating affordable housing in cities
Sent to more than 30 Israeli mayors and members of their city councils, advising them on how to map and identify the needs of populations in need of affordable housing, and reviewing practicable options. (2019)
Requiring the inclusion of directives for effective affordable housing in comprehensive municipal outline plans
In accordance with the Directives of National Outline Plan 35 (תמ"א 35) - Position paper sent to planning agencies and decision makers. (2017)
Pre-election document
Reviewing the positions of all political parties on the issue of housing and calling upon the new government to promote social housing and urban renewal. (2019)
Affordable Housing in Urban Renewal
In cooperation with the Government Authority for Urban Renewal the IAHC conducted a workshop to analyze the possibility to create new affordable housing within urban regeneration plans. (2019)
