Cyprus Interior Ministry Unveils Two Affordable Housing Schemes

The Interior Ministry clarified two new affordable housing programmes announced earlier this week. The first offers state‑owned plots to Cypriot families under 45, with gross annual incomes capped at €45,000 for couples and €65,000 for families of five or more. Plots, 325–371 m², will be sold at 25 % of market value and must be built within three years, extendable by one year by local authorities. A total of about 500 plots will be released, each requiring a house no larger than 150 m² and prohibiting transfer until the dwelling is finished. The second scheme permits owners of existing homes to add an extra floor up to 150 m² (180 m² for plots over 1,000 m²) without penalty, valid until 31 December 2027. Planning permits must be followed by building permits within one year, and the expanded property cannot be sold for ten years. Both initiatives aim to increase housing stock and prevent idle state land.