A temporary housing subsidy is available for people whose homes have been affected by natural disasters, such as wildfires, to help cover their immediate housing needs.

Specifically:

• A temporary housing subsidy is provided to occupants of primary residences that have been damaged by a natural disaster. The terms, eligibility criteria, required documents, and application procedure are set out in Joint Ministerial Decision No. 67959/DAEFK-KE/A36/30.10.2025 (Government Gazette B’ 5926).

The assistance is provided in one of two forms:

• Rental subsidy, for those who rent another home in the same or a neighboring Regional Unit as the damaged residence.
• Co-habitation subsidy, for those who temporarily stay in another person’s primary residence in the same or a neighboring Regional Unit. This subsidy amounts to 50% of the rental subsidy.

Who is eligible?

The following are eligible for the rental or co-habitation subsidy:

• Homeowners.
• Occupants of homes provided to them free of charge as their primary residence.

The damaged home must have been officially classified by inspection teams from the General Directorate for the Restoration of the Effects of Natural Disasters (GDAEFK) as either:

• “Yellow” – temporarily unfit for habitation, or
• “Red” – dangerous and unfit for use.

Applicants must not own or have access to another vacant or secondary residence within 25 kilometers of the damaged home.

An additional requirement is that the residence must be proven to have been the applicant’s primary home before the disaster and that it is no longer habitable afterward.

When does the subsidy begin?

Residents whose primary homes are classified as Yellow or Red may either rent another home or stay with another household.

The subsidy starts on the date the new rental or co-habitation begins, which may be as early as the day following the natural disaster.

Amount of the subsidy

The rental subsidy is based on the number of people who permanently lived in the damaged residence:

• €300 per month for one person.
• An additional €50 per month for each additional household member.
• Maximum payment: €500 per month.

The co-habitation subsidy is 50% of the corresponding rental subsidy.

For households including a person with a disability, one additional household member is counted when calculating the subsidy, up to the maximum of €500 per month.

Duration

The subsidy is available for:

• Up to two years for homeowners and occupants of homes provided free of charge.
• Up to six months for tenants of damaged homes, and only in the form of the co-habitation subsidy.

How to apply

Following the issuance of the relevant Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD) for a specific disaster, affected residents must submit an application for the temporary housing subsidy to the competent office of the General Directorate for the Restoration of the Effects of Natural Disasters (GDAEFK) within the deadline specified in that decision.

Applicants must submit:

• A copy of the GDAEFK inspection report for the damaged primary residence.
• The most recent tax forms (E1, E2, E9, and ENFIA) for the applicant and all household members.
• Proof of timely submission of the Property Lease Information Declaration for the newly rented residence (required for the rental subsidy).
• The required sworn declarations, using the forms attached to Government Gazette B’ 5926/5.11.2025.
• For applicants with disabilities, a certificate from the Disability Certification Center (KEPA) confirming a disability rating of at least 67%.