Kalistani Major History

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Following Decades of AutoPilot Government, Republic aims to tackle Urban Blight
Renewal Measures to be promoted by the Minister of Internal Affairs
Kaliburg, Ananto
February 8, 5316


Much of the Republic's centuries old Housing Stock is due for renewal

The Republican Government today announced its first new initiative following the restoration of the Republic. Titled "New Homes for a New People," the Government is responding to increasing complaints about the quality of the Nation's aging housing stock.

"The Capital has not really had an upgrade since the Kaliburg Earthquake," said outgoing Interior Minister Bradley Yeardly. "It is time we finally devote money to addressing the issue--not just in repairing old houses but also in demolishing the ones which are not inhabitable, and beginning to rebuild new ones according to new methods and energy mindedness."

Over the next 6 months, a sector of the National Service Program will be redirected to becoming housing inspectors. "We have already created a new curriculum for the training," said Yeardley, "based on best practices in the housing inspection industry. We want to evaluate the quality of our nation's housing, as well as the feasibility of saving them versus rebuilding them."

The Minister pointed specifically to the poor quality housing in the Lolla District of Kaliburg, as well as the San Fernando district in Sulari. "These two neighborhoods have experienced decades of blight, as the role of the National Government was rolled back to almost nothing and people were left to fend for themselves. In addition to illegal sales and faked inspection reports, the utter dilapidation of about 35% of the homes in these two neighborhoods is driving a growing movement against the blight. We as a National Government can and should address this."

The current Government is expected to transition within the next few years and Yeardley aims to leave the incoming minister with a project that is underway. "This is a concern of ours and is something that our Government can do now to help the lives of our citizens directly. We start today!"

The evaluation of housing in the Republic is expected to take a year, and then reconstruction will be prioritized by areas where it will have most effect first. Major cities like Kaliburg, Sulari and Port Swedes are expected to see the most attention at the start, because there the situation is most dire.