Jerusalem’s housing crisis is not limited to the price of buying an apartment. Renters who want to remain in the city also face high monthly costs, short contracts and uncertainty over whether their lease will be renewed. A new project at the Beit Ha’am and Triangle sites is intended to offer a partial response through approximately 260 long-term rental units in the city center.
The term “affordable housing,” however, requires some clarification. This is not public housing, nor will the apartments be available cheaply to anyone who applies. The reduced rents will be offered to people eligible for Israel’s “Discounted Apartment” program. Under the project terms, rents will be 20% below market prices, and tenants will be able to rent the apartments for up to six years.
Who will qualify for affordable housing in Jerusalem?
Shapir was selected to plan, build and operate the project for a period of 25 years. Of the total number of apartments, 15% will be allocated to Jerusalem residents under the program’s conditions.
That means only a relatively small share of the development will be set aside specifically for local residents, while the remaining units will be offered to other eligible applicants.
A 20% discount could make a significant difference for young people and families hoping to live in central Jerusalem. Its real value, however, will depend on the market rents used as the basis for the discount when the buildings are completed.
What is planned for the Beit Ha’am complex in Jerusalem?
Beit Ha’am is a well-known cultural complex in central Jerusalem. The site currently includes dance halls used by the Vertigo and Kolben Dance companies.
A new nine-story building is planned for the complex, containing around 120 rental apartments and commercial space on the ground floor. The dance halls will be rebuilt as part of the project, allowing housing, culture and retail to remain within the same development.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion stated: “The Beit Ha’am and Triangle project is a significant development that will allow young people and families to enjoy quality housing in the city center, alongside stronger cultural, educational and community institutions.”
How many apartments will be built at the Triangle site?
The second part of the project will be built at the Triangle site, at the intersection of Ussishkin and Menora streets. Another nine-story building is planned there, with around 140 rental apartments, approximately 500 square meters of commercial space, 300 square meters for cultural use and two kindergartens.
Eden Company CEO Yehuda Saban said: “The project combines discounted rental housing for young people with commerce and public uses, adding a total of around 20,000 square meters. It is located within an open urban, academic and artistic campus that connects housing, creativity, education and community.”
He added: “The project is intended to expand Jerusalem’s long-term rental supply and help keep young residents in the city, while strengthening the city center and supporting its continued development.”
The project may add hundreds of apartments to Jerusalem’s rental market, but whether it will provide genuinely affordable housing will become clear only once rental prices, eligibility rules and occupancy dates are published.
