Registration opens for discounted apartment lottery: Here is the full list of cities

You've been waiting, and now it's here: The Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Israel Land Authority opened registration this morning (Monday) for the eighth "Apartment at a Discount" lottery. The lottery will be open for five weeks, closing on Sunday, November 3, 2024. 

In this upcoming lottery, 4,741 housing units will be drawn in 14 locations across the country: Eilat, Efrat, Beit She'an, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Ayish, Dimona, Tirat Carmel, Yehud-Monosson, Kfar Saba, Tzur Hadassah, Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malahi, Rishon LeZion, and Rekhasim. As with previous lotteries, eligible participants can register for up to three cities and for all lotteries in those cities. Additionally, the registration date within the five-week period does not impact the lottery results.

Eligible participants are those without a home who hold a valid eligibility certificate. It is important to note that eligibility certificates can currently be issued, but the issuance process will close on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. After that, certificates will not be issued until registration closes. Approximately 20% of the apartments will be allocated to active reserve soldiers. 

The next discounted apartment lottery is expected to open for registration in December, with around 5,000 units drawn across the country, including for the first time in Umm al-Fahm and other cities like Migdal HaEmek, Beersheba, Haifa, Ofakim, Sderot, Ashkelon, Jerusalem, and more (the list is subject to change, and the final list will be published when the lottery opens).

How do you register for the lotteries?

Eligibility certificates can be issued online without needing to visit a branch. The issuance process is handled through the digital branches of the registration companies: Milgam, Alonim, and Maof. The process takes up to 10 days (except in special cases), and the certificate is valid for one year. The cost of issuing an eligibility certificate for the "Apartment at a Discount" programs is 200 shekels, and the extension fee is 50 shekels. To register, an eligibility certificate must be issued on the ministry's website or through the housing assistance registration companies: 

- Milgam: *2310

- Alonim: *2850

- Maof: *9344

"By the end of 2024, over 21,000 households will win the opportunity to purchase a discounted apartment."

Minister of Construction and Housing, Yitzhak Goldknopf: "This is another important announcement for many families, reflecting our commitment to continue working toward affordable housing. We are determined to keep providing housing solutions for all Israeli citizens, especially active reserve soldiers, for whom we are allocating approximately 20% of the apartments. By the end of 2024, we will draw 10,000 more apartments, including some priced at approximately 650,000 shekels. This past year has been unpredictable in many ways, yet so far about 11,500 households have won the opportunity to purchase a discounted apartment, and soon another 10,000 families will be added. Another lottery will open in the coming months. We will continue working with full force to expand the housing supply, subsidize development costs, and ensure that supply meets demand."

Director General of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, Yehuda Morgenstern: "Our mission is to balance the growing demand for housing with the available supply, partly through the 'Apartment at a Discount' program. We continue our work, giving thousands of young people in Israel the opportunity to purchase a discounted apartment. The upcoming New Year marks the start of new beginnings, and approximately 4,700 households will have the chance to start the year with the possibility of purchasing a discounted apartment. It’s important to note that in this lottery, about half of the apartments will be sold for less than 1,500,000 shekels. By the end of 2024, over 21,000 households will have won a discounted apartment. We will continue working to increase the housing supply and strengthen the construction and housing sector for the benefit of all Israeli citizens."

Director General of the Israel Land Authority, Yanki Quint: "Opening the registration for the 'Apartment at a Discount' lottery is another significant step to allow Israelis to purchase affordable housing. With over 4,700 apartments offered in 14 communities across the country, we continue our policy of increasing the supply of housing units throughout Israel. In this current lottery, we decided to allocate about 20% of the apartments to active reserve soldiers as a token of appreciation for their service. We encourage all eligible participants to take advantage of this opportunity and register for the upcoming lottery."