The HA told The Malta Independent that over the past years there was an increase in the number of single parents requesting assistance from the Housing Authority, both through schemes as well as sale issues.
In fact, most of the single parent applicants applied for Scheme R (Rent Subsidy Scheme). “This shows that renting seems to be the preferred tenure choice of these applicants, or the one which they are most likely to afford,” said the Housing Authority.
Over the past five years there was an increase in the number of single parents being allotted units by the HA as subsidised sales.
Seven units were allotted in 1998, 10 in 1999, 15 in 2000, 14 in 2001, 13 in 2002 and 23 in 2003.
There was a sudden increase in the number of units allotted to single parents in the year 1999 due to the fact that the Housing Authority had negotiated a 100 per cent facility with the banks.
The majority of the applicants took a subsidised loan (100 per cent) from the bank, in order to purchase affordable housing. However there were a number of applicants who made use of an unsubsidised loan (10 per cent subsidy on the selling price).
Between 1998 and 2002, 18 single parent applicants made use of the unsubsidised loan while 41 single parent applicants made use of a subsidised loan from the bank. Notice 66 (2002) was the last time that beneficiaries could actually choose to take an unsubsidised loan. In Notice 67 (2003), 20 single parent applicants took a subsidised loan from the bank while three single parents paid cash.
There was also a general increase in the number of single parent applicants for the rent subsidy scheme. During the period covering 1 October 1996 and 30 September 1998, no applications were received from single parent applicants for Scheme J (the previous Rent Subsidy Scheme).
During these past five years (1 October 1998 and 10 September 2003) there was a general increase in the number of single parent applicants for this scheme. It is also interesting to note that more than half of the applicants for scheme R this year are the single parents. In fact 63.9 per cent of all the scheme R applicants are single parents.
1 October 1996 – 30 September 1997: no applicants
1 October 1997 – 30 September 1998: no applicants
1 October 1998 – 30 September 1999: 13
1 October 1999 – 30 September 2000: 13
1 October 2000 – 30 September 2001: 14
1 October 2001 – 30 September 2002: 15
1 October 2002 – 30 September 2003: 30
Scheme W – Repair works on government properties
There was an increase in single parent applicants during this last year. During the period covering 1 October 1996 and 30 September 1998 (the previous Scheme 3), no applications were received from single parents.
Between 1 October 1998 and 30 September 2002, 11 new applications from single parents were received.
This year 18 new applications requesting assistance to carry out repair works on government properties were received. Even this scheme is attracting more single parent applicants. Housing authority schemes are catering for the needs of these people, by means of this repair scheme.
Scheme 5 – Repair works
in leased privately-owned properties
There was also an increase in the number of single parents applying for assistance through this scheme. No applications came in from single parents during the period covering 1 October 1996 and 30 September 1998 (the previous Scheme L).
There was a huge increase in the period covering October 2000 and September 2001, with 13.6 per cent of the applications coming in from the single parents. The following year only 7.6 per cent of the applications were received from single parents. Once again this year a huge amount of the applications were received from the single parents (28.2 per cent).
The Authority said that by means of the sale issues as well as schemes, it (the HA) is offering assistance to single parent applicants.
“It is also important to point out that in this way a number of children are benefiting from the services offered by the Housing Authority, thus improving their quality of life,” a spokesman said.