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The city of Paphos is transforming crumbling buildings in its historic center into affordable housing, aiming to provide relief to students and young professionals priced out of the local rental market.
Mayor Phedon Phedonos said the initiative will convert abandoned structures into a network of 20-room hostels, offering beds for €100–150 a month, a fraction of the €700–800 many currently pay in private rentals.
“These rooms will cover only the basic costs, such as electricity and internet. The municipality will provide beds and furniture so young people won’t be burdened,” Phedonos said in a video statement highlighting the work.
One of the properties under restoration may hold historical significance, according to the mayor. “It appears to have been the first hotel in Paphos, dating back to around 1910–1920,” he said, noting that more than 40 people are employed in the project.
Officials say the program serves a dual purpose: easing pressure on students and workers in the city’s growing innovation sector, while also reviving a neglected part of town. “The area had fallen into abandonment. Soon, it will showcase something unique,” Phedonos added.
In a separate development, the municipality is renovating a 1960s-era building to house the Deputy Ministry of Tourism. Structural reinforcement and full outfitting of the property are budgeted at €200,000, with completion expected by year’s end.
With information from 24news.
