General Information

The Ministry, along with the Ministry of Construction and Housing, are continuing with the long-term rental track, and the number of contracts to be approved in the first stage  is 2000 contracts.

The goal is to create an additional housing-solutions track for elderly immigrants that would enable them to live in the same rented apartment for a minimum of five years, without having to be forced to move from one apartment to another at an average of once a year.

Apartments are rented in the private market independently by the immigrant, without government involvement and as specified below:

Period of the Project

 The project will be operated between 1.7.07 – 31.12.07, and only if the number of contracts does not exceed 2000.

Eligible Candidates

 lderly immigrants as defined according to housing-assistance regulations, including singles and couples from any country.

 Those defined as “without housing” for the purposes of housing assistance.

 Individuals who do not live in public housing or hostels and receive a housing allowance.

 Date of immigration up to 31.12.1999.

 Persons who receive an old age pension from National Insurance + assured income or an allowance from the Ministry of Finance

 Persons who have received increased rental assistance from the Ministry of Construction and Housing for rental in the private market without family members since February 2007 onwards.

 Those renting an apartment, on their own, without relatives or roommates, including single individuals and couples with no children.

 Apartment rental is for a minimum period of five years, in a town included in the attached list. Eligible candidates are not prevented from renting an apartment in any of the towns appearing on the attached list as long as they already live in another town appearing on that same list.  (e.g. a Holon resident can rent in Bat-Yam) and receive additional assistance in accordance with the town where he or she is renting the apartment.

The rental contract, drawn by the immigrant, without any government obligation, must note that should the contract be terminated by the Landlord, the Landlord will pay the tenant compensation of at least NIS 200 beginning in the month of the termination of the contract, multiplied by the monthly balance to the end of the contract.

 The rented apartment may not be a key money apartment, nor may it be an apartment that is rented from public housing companies, a hostel or an absorption center, is not a service apartment, is not rented from any party who receives public or government assistance and is not considered with the framework of protected housing for the elderly or funded by housing allowances.

Maintaining the Level of Rental Assistance

The budgetary division has guaranteed in writing that no person participating in this program will suffer any cut in their rental assistance.  This guarantee refers both to supplementary assistance and to the basic rental assistance. 

Mandatory Articles in a Contract

Listed below are articles that must appear in the contract as mandatory articles:

a. Rental period: from ________ to ________ (minimum five years), Hereinafter – The Rental Period.
b. In the event of a breach of contract by the Landlord, the Landlord shall pay the Tenant compensation that has been agreed upon in advance of NIS 200 minimum per month beginning on the day the Tenant leaves the apartment and until the end of (5) years from the day the rental period began. Compensation will be given to the Tenant prior to vacating the apartment and as a condition for vacating said apartment."

Obligations of the Immigrant

The immigrant signs a statement of obligation with the rental companies in which he confirms:

1. that he has been informed upon recept of additional assistance, in the form of a grant, for "long-term" rent, that his eligibility for public housing, hostels and allowances is  frozen.

2. that he has been informed that his eligibility for additional assistance will only be given in cases when he is renting alone, with no relatives or roommates.

List of Towns and Additional Assistance

Attached is a list of towns.  Next to each is the amount of  additional assistance in NIS. There is no difference  in the amount given to an individual and a couple.

The additional assistance ranges between NIS 150 a month to NIS 400, depending on the town in which the apartment is being rented.

The additional assistance is given in addition to the basic rental assistance to which the couple or individuals are entitled on the basis of age and eligibility for a  living allowance from National Insurance or from the Ministry of Finance, and because they are not living together with their family.

The assistance, including the additional assistance, will not exceed 95% of the sum of the monthly rent.

The assistance will be paid every month, for the entire term of the contract, directly through the Ministry of Construction and Housing, to the immigrant's bank account.  The details of the bank account must be supplied to the relevant rental company official. The apartment rental company will cease its participation in rental assistance for the eligible person, and instead the rental assistance will be administered via the Ministry of Construction and Housing.

Additional rental assistance will only be granted to “eligible elderly” persons who present a contract to the rental company within two months of the day of its signing, and who meet the definition of eligible parties as specified above.

List of Towns and Additional Long-term Rent Assistance

Termination of the Long-term Rental Contract

1. Since the additional assistance to project participants is identical for a couple and an individual, any change in family status will not affect the special supplement.
Should one of the couple move to a nursing home or in the event of the death of one of the couple, the surviving spouse will be entitled to decide about continued participation in the project, and to continue to receive the supplement given in the project, with the basic rental assistance being based on an individual who receives the assistance.

Alternatively, individuals are entitled to notify their intent to terminate their participation. In this case, the eligible party will be entitled to participate in the rent as an elderly single without any supplement, and will return to his place in the waiting list for public housing from the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption.

2. In the event that the eligible parties decide to change apartments in the middle of the five-year term, they are entitled to do so.
In order to make the change, they must contact the rental company.
Note that in such cases, the five-year term is counted from the day of signing of the first contract.

3. Termination of the contract, within five years, for no reason specified above, will lead to a cancellation of the supplement and continued reception of basic rental assistance.
It should be noted that in such cases, persons will not this case, they will not return to the waiting list prior to the end of the five years from the day of the signing of the contract, i.e. their eligibility for public housing or a hostel is frozen, as previously mentioned, for five years.

4. At the end of the five years, the candidate returns to the waiting list for public housing and hostels, based on his date of aliyah, (unless he continued in the track for an additional five-year period).

5. Immigrants can, even within the five years, request a mortgage, as is accepted practice in accordance with mortgage regulations in mortgage banks.
Whoever purchases an apartment will be entitled to continue to receive rental assistance until they enter the apartment (in the case of a new apartment) and as long as he is entitled to the rental assistance or for up to (6) months for purchasers of second-hand apartments.
In any case, persons will not be entitled to receive rental assistance once, according to their purchase contract, they are in possession of the key to their new apartment. 

Implementation

Processing will be through the rental company as follows: (Hereinafter: The Company):

1. The immigrant brings a rental contract with a minimum five-year term.
2. The immigrant contacts the 'company' for implementation in the area of his residence with the contract. Immigrants from “countries of distress” must also issue a copy of the certificate of eligibility.
3. Make sure that the contract lists the two required articles as specified in Article E above. A contract that does not include these two articles will not be honored.
4. The immigrant will submit to the Company his bank account number in order to receive the monthly assistance transfer.
5. The immigrant will sign with the company a letter of undertaking as specified in Article F above.
6. The Company is entitled to charge NIS 35 from the eligible party for processing.
7. The Company will transfer the contract for implementation to the Ministry of Construction and Housing.
8. The Ministry of Construction and Housing will forward the relevant data of those eligible who are participating in this track to the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption in order to implement the freeze on entitlement to housing for five years.
9. The immigrant is entitled to ask for a transfer of the assistance directly to the Landlord.

Ministry Assistance

Immigrants can contact the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption in his place of residence, where he can receive guidance, including a review of the contract, an explanation of the meaning of the freezing of eligibility for five years, etc.
He must be helped as much as possible before he signs the contract and his referral to the Company.

In cases in which an immigrant is required to sign a contract for one apartment within a building that is designated for rental, a ministry representative will inspect the apartment for suitability, prior to signature approval on the contract.

It is extremely important to provide an immediate response to the immigrant prior to the signing of the contract. Therefore, applicants should be given priority when designating appointments.

Take note: aforementioned processing takes place through the Companies.

Comments

1. there is no payment for brokerage fees.
2. The immigrant looks for an apartment on his own. There is no apartment database. Implementation is through the Company.
3. The immigrant can bring the five-year contract for an apartment where he is currently living as long as it complies with the terms of eligibility (as specified in Article C above).
4. The Ministry of Immigrant Absorption will, as previously mentioned, freeze the eligibility of the immigrant who began to receive additional assistance for a period of five years. Implementation is  through the senior housing division.
5. Attached are letters in Hebrew and in Russian that are sent to the immigrants. Non-Russian speaking immigrants are sent the Hebrew version only.
6. Please contact Ms. Eti Peretz in the senior housing division with any question or unusual problem.

Voice Mail (Ministry of Construction and Housing)

Russian-speaking immigrants can phone in questions to Tel.: 1-800-223366