A bill introducing a new framework for housing assistance and other forms of aid following natural disasters has been submitted to the Greek Parliament.

The legislation, introduced by the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, is titled “New Framework of Housing Assistance Measures and Other Aid Following Natural Disasters, Improvement of the State Aid and Private Insurance Framework for Businesses Against Natural Disasters — Amendments to Laws 4797/2021 and 5116/2024.”

Among other provisions, the bill:

• Defines the scope of the proposed framework, the conditions required for its implementation, the categories of beneficiaries eligible for housing assistance, and the maximum amounts available. Under certain conditions, a co-owner may receive the full amount of housing assistance for the repair or reconstruction of a damaged building, while the applicable exemptions are explicitly established.
• Revises the conditions for granting initial assistance in advance of housing assistance for significant and extensive damage, excluding buildings that remain suitable for use.
• Establishes a general and comprehensive tax-free and non-seizable status for housing assistance provided following natural disasters. For insured business buildings, housing assistance will cover the amount of damage not covered by the insurance company. The compensation paid by insurance companies will also be tax-free and protected from seizure.
• Establishes a single procedure for determining beneficiaries and granting housing assistance, to be carried out exclusively through the “e-Permits” information system. The legislation specifies the payment stages for different types of assistance, including reconstruction, repair of damaged buildings and self-housing, while introducing mandatory checks at every stage of the process.

Other Forms of Assistance

The bill also revises the framework for other forms of assistance to people affected by natural disasters, including a new limit on cohabitation housing subsidies.

For one-off financial assistance—such as replacing household goods and covering basic living needs—the legislation additionally provides for:

• extending payments to cover simple repair work in auxiliary spaces and their equipment; and
• creating an electronic platform through which one-off financial assistance will henceforth be paid.

The bill also establishes rules for managing prefabricated temporary housing units and transferring them to municipalities for the temporary accommodation of people affected by disasters, subject to specified conditions and time limits.

It also expressly provides for:

• the transfer of used or otherwise unsuitable temporary housing units to public or private organizations engaged in activities serving the public interest; and
• administrative penalties and recovery of associated costs if the temporary housing units are not returned on time or in the required condition.

Assistance for Public-Sector Buildings

Regarding the restoration of public-sector buildings damaged by natural disasters, the legislation provides that housing assistance may cover the entire affected area of a building, provided that its restoration does not fall under the responsibility of another agency.

The bill also regulates procedural matters concerning:

• regular and extraordinary inspections of prospective housing-assistance beneficiaries and the obligation of municipalities and regions to retain relevant records and files for the specified period;
• procedures for removing beneficiaries from eligibility; and
• recovery of amounts paid improperly, which will be treated as public revenue.

Special Provisions for 2018 Wildfire-Affected Settlements

The bill introduces special provisions for housing assistance to restore buildings in the settlements of Provalinthos and Ampeloupoli, which were affected by the July 23–24, 2018 wildfires.

These provisions include a new deadline for submitting applications and the application of certain provisions of the Legislative Act of July 28, 1978.

According to the explanatory report accompanying the bill, the new provisions address the need to modernize and improve the institutional framework for state and housing assistance following natural disasters, so that support can be provided to affected residents more quickly, efficiently and transparently.

Stronger Oversight

The proposed legislation also seeks to establish a dedicated unit responsible for conducting the inspections provided for under Article 21 of Law 4797/2021, with the aim of ensuring the independence of the organizational unit responsible for inspections.

Regions will additionally be required to retain all necessary records for at least 10 years, allowing the inspections required under the law to be carried out effectively.

The legislation also changes the composition of the Private Insurance Observatory for Natural Disasters and clarifies how compliance with the mandatory insurance requirement for businesses will be monitored as part of the implementation of state-aid measures.

Parliamentary consideration of the bill is scheduled to begin this Thursday before the Standing Committee on Production and Trade.