Newsroom
Paphos Mayor Phaedon Phaedonos is taking aim at the government for ignoring what he says is a growing housing crisis that’s forcing residents into basements and long-term debt just to have a roof over their heads.
Speaking on Omega TV’s Aichmes and in a video posted to social media, Phaedonos said he has submitted a detailed plan to build 1,400 new homes in the Paphos district, but claims officials are dragging their feet and refusing to act.
"In Paphos, you need the equivalent of 240 average salaries to build a house. That’s 20 years of working full-time and spending nothing, not even on food...To rent, you need 1.3 times your salary."
“I proposed a solution,” he said. “But they don’t even answer. They’re busy calculating political costs, worried that if this plan goes forward, maybe Phaedonas will get credit for it.”
He painted a bleak picture of life for many in Paphos, describing a young father who had to move into the basement of his parents’ house with his two babies because he couldn’t afford rent or build a home of his own.
“In Paphos, you need the equivalent of 240 average salaries to build a house. That’s 20 years of working full-time and spending nothing, not even on food,” he said. “To rent, you need 1.3 times your salary. People are taking out mortgages just to pay rent.”
According to the mayor, around 12% of Paphos residents don’t live in decent housing, many squeezed by soaring rental prices, stagnant wages, and a lack of affordable construction.
Phaedonos believes his proposed housing plan would be a lifeline for families who are struggling but says political ego and inaction are standing in the way.
“This is not about me,” he said. “This is about people who are being pushed to the margins and a state that chooses to look the other way.”
