"The cost of housing is currently the number one problem for Greek households, as large segments of the population spend up to 50% - 80% of their income on rent. This 'burden' deprives our young people, especially, of the prospect of starting a family or dreaming of owning their own home, of carving their own path," Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos said on Thursday, while addressing the 3rd Real Estate Summit of Real Group.
"The government has taken specific measures, increasing the supply of housing with tax exemptions and significant tax incentives, setting rules on uncontrolled short-term rentals, but also with subsidised programmes for affordable housing, especially for young people," stressed Theodorikakos and underlined the interventions that have been taken in recent years: "From the end of 2018 to the end of 2023, the increase in building permits was 80%, while other interventions have been made, such as the well-considered ban on short-term rentals in selected areas, the repair-renovate programme with a significant subsidy, the MY HOME  programme and the decision to not tax, for three years, the rents of houses that are rented, if they had been off the market during the last three years."
The solution for the housing problem, Theodorikakos claimed, will arise through a productive transformation of the economy in order to increase the citizens' disposable income. "This is the quintessence of the new development law that will be unveiled for public consultation this month and aims to achieve sustainable and balanced development throughout the country, reduce regional and social inequalities and stop flows towards the region of Attica."
Concluding, Theodorikakos said that "we also did not hesitate to intervene where necessary for the rental market and I am referring to the 3% ceiling regarding commercial properties. The State must intervene in a positive way in order to support healthy entrepreneurship and especially small and medium-sized enterprises. We must view things with a sense of promoting the general interest and solidarity.