Kalistan

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More than 560 homes are transferred to Public Housing in Sulari alone



Grand Duke Gets Green Light to begin Housing Stock Rehab
A policy which has started and stopped for decades finally to move forward
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
January 2, 5568

The Grand Duke of Kalistan, Duke Mark Ananto-Orleans, has finally received the go ahead to begin upgrading the nation's Housing Stock. The efforts will take place all throughout Kalistan Proper, and will result in an expected 25 million units in the nation's housing stock, all owned and operated by a new agency, the National Housing Authority (NHA).

"We have spent the last five years conducting a national housing survey of the four Duchies in Kalistan," said Grand Duke Mark Ananto-Orleans. "In each city, town, municipality and unincorporated settlement across Kalistan Proper, we graded houses on a five point scale, using an exhaustive set of criteria. Those who scored a 2 or 3 are set for rehabilitation and those scoring a 0 or 1 are set to be demolished and new houses that are energy efficient, compact and will house multiple families will be built in their place." The move to replace more than 7 million single family homes with either townhome blocks, duplexes or triplexes is generally supported by most communities across Kalistan.

"We have a lot of these dilapidated houses in my neighborhood," said Blake Hanson, of Sulari. "They are dens for squatters and junkies, and if the State coming in an providing quality housing for two or three families means we clear out that riff raff, so be it. My kids can feel safe playing in the park in the evening, if we don't have a bunch of folks going around asking for a quarter from everyone under the sun."

The total price tag for the nation's housing update will be close to ₭400 billion over ten years. "We have included the cost of the National Housing Agency buying out the houses that scored in the 2-3 range, as well as the abandoned property, and calculated what it would cost to rehabilitate the ones we can save, and rebuild ones we cannot. We are fortunate in that we have a national workforce that can be tasked with this project to save us on a lot of the labor costs we would otherwise incur, and we can source nearly all of our building supplies right here in Kalistan. And a lot of the cost will be offset by Annual occupancy fees as tenants move in."

The National Housing Authority, which it is formally constituted, will be Kalistan's largest landlord, and one of the first public landlords in the history of Kalistan. "We currently have the law which states that the Nation owns all housing." said Grand Duke Mark Ananto-Orleans But the Empire has not moved until just recently to begin enforcing the law, due to concerns for private property. But the situation with these old, inefficient and often just plain unlivable homes across the Mainland is just untenable, and we have spent the last five years patiently making the case for reform, talking with home owners, city and municipal councils, the barons, counts and Dukes, who have all been so helpful in this process, slowly moving the needle until I think we were able to craft a policy that gives us widespread public support and allows us to actually address the needs of Kalistan's Citizens."

The homelessness rate in Kalistan Proper went to more than 2.5% last year, and shelters have been noting difficulty providing beds, supportive housing and case management. "I am proud to say, today, help is on the way," said the Grand Duke. "I want to take a moment to acknowledge the support of this program from Her Imperial Majesty, who first became aware of the situation of Kalistan's housing stock when she was helping to rebuild Eshar after the Rebellion. She has supported our efforts during the last five years."

The National Assembly will formally move the National Housing Act in the Assembly by June by command of Her Imperial Majesty. More than 560 homes in Sulari alone have been formally transferred, as of January 1, to the City of Sulari Public Housing Authority, a branch of the incoming National Housing Authority.