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In 20 months, the first apartment building under the government’s "KtiZO" Plan in the Apostolos Andreas Housing Settlement in Latsia will be completed. This was announced to Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou and the Parliamentary Refugee Committee during their visit to the construction site on Tuesday.
The Interior Minister also shared that construction for an additional building will start soon in the Kokkines settlement, with another building set to break ground in December in the Agios Eleftherios settlement in Latsia. Five more buildings have been awarded to contractors, and demolitions of six old buildings are planned for this month.
Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou stated that the first building’s construction began two weeks ago, emphasizing that "President Christodoulides and the government prioritized addressing the longstanding issue of unsafe, unfit buildings. We have developed the KtiZO Plan—a realistic, practical solution to bring a definitive end to this decades-long problem."
Minister Ioannou acknowledged a slight delay in the project, citing unforeseen issues such as inheritance rights, legal complications, and property encumbrances. However, he noted that solutions were found to continue progress. In place of two demolished buildings at the Apostolos Andreas Settlement, a new five-story building will be erected, offering housing to 18 eligible families with €1,050,000 in government funding, of which €200,000 has already been disbursed. Additionally, 12 affordable housing units will be built as part of an incentive program aimed at attracting new families to rejuvenate the area. The contractor indicated these units would be offered at prices 30% below the current market rate for the area.
Asked about the progress of the KtiZO Plan, Ioannou confirmed that additional buildings are moving forward as planned, with five more contracts to be signed soon. He also shared that six more buildings would be demolished within the month.
Ioannou stressed that a key aspect of the plan was to allow property owners to proceed with reconstruction independently, reducing government involvement. However, he highlighted ongoing coordination issues with some residents of Strovolos 3 Settlement who have refused to vacate dangerous buildings marked for demolition. Ioannou urged the Strovolos Municipality to issue eviction orders, as it bears legal responsibility for the safety of these buildings.
Numerous solutions, including rent subsidies, have been proposed to the holdout residents, with the Strovolos Mayor working closely on the matter. Ioannou added that non-refugees who bought apartments from refugees would also be allowed to join the KtiZO Plan, though priority remains with original beneficiaries.
The Vulnerability Committee has allocated €53,000 to economically and socially vulnerable cases, including residents in Strovolos 3. In total, €950,000 has been granted to eligible beneficiaries thus far.
Chair of the Parliamentary Refugee Committee, AKEL MP Nikos Kettiros, expressed satisfaction with the start of construction, stating, "Today’s session is taking place at the construction site where work has begun to house those from the dangerous buildings."
Kettiros commended the Interior Minister’s attentiveness to their concerns and highlighted that bipartisan collaboration could achieve previously unthinkable results for residents' well-being. "Next buildings will start construction soon," he added, pleased to see the second phase—renovation of 70 additional buildings—already underway.
However, he urged for issues in Strovolos to be resolved quickly, as delays affect many who risk staying in unsafe conditions. He also noted the decision to extend the contribution deadline for KtiZO Plan beneficiaries, allowing the Interior Ministry time to finalize support measures for loan access.
DISY MP Rita Theodorou Superman emphasized that the KtiZO Plan "is becoming a reality" and urged the Interior Ministry to address similar issues in other settlements, particularly in Strovolos, to advance all necessary construction work.
Erini Yiannakou, a Senior Planning Officer, stated that the cost of the current apartment building in Latsia is estimated at €1.7 million. Construction started 19 days ago, with groundwork and foundation works now complete. The contractor is preparing to install elevator reinforcements.
Yiannakou explained that the project follows a "Design and Build" model, with a private engineering firm selected for planning. The project coordinator, Konstantinos Vorkas, prepared all necessary tender documents in accordance with Planning Department standards.
