Globes, Nitsa Pic, 11.03.2020

The plight of housing in Israel requires thinking outside the box in definitions that seem to be self-evident. One of the directions that has not yet been taken into account is a change in the definition of student dormitories as intended for students only, and the possibility of establishing such "dormitories" for the general public as well.

Student dormitories are currently defined by the state as a temporary residence, for students only. Small units are equipped and fully equipped for rent on an annual basis. The living rooms are stacked in one building envelope and "linked" through common public spaces such as clubs, balconies, gyms, movie theaters, laundry and more.

Living room furniture and equipment is almost completely done: a sitting area, a kitchenette (which includes a micro-fridge and stove) and a bathroom. The bedroom already has a bed, a closet, a nightstand and a desk so that a student who decided to live in a dorm is left with only his personal belongings.

The apartment mix is ​​diverse and includes a single studio, a studio for a couple, a two-room apartment and a three-room apartment for double-size apartments of about 20 square meters per bed. Construction and operation of student dormitories, according to these settings, are currently being promoted near universities and colleges or in the city center.

Why should this option remain only for students? Why can't every young Israeli enjoy a cheap and affordable housing model in the same way?

Today, the definition of a student is not necessarily a person attending a university or college for a period of about three years. Many give up the conventional route and undergo training through several months of training for specific professions, whether in high-tech or any other field.Sometimes training is generally online, so a learning process is done, but it is not in the format of a regular student. For young people undergoing such training, and although they are not formally defined as students, a solution of temporary residence in fully equipped kettle apartments can be excellent.

Municipalities that promote such ventures in their field will only benefit.The city can utilize this as a growth mechanism that can help bring in a new and creative spirit to revitalize the city, without posing an economic burden to the municipal coffers who must take care of building and subsidizing public services (kindergartens, schools, community centers, etc.). “M) In a mix of about 20 percent downtown or in office and commercial areas, whether integrated into each building or planned into separate buildings, the city will live through the night.

Such ventures can be set up in old, renewable city centers (e.g. the RG, Holon or Petah Tikva center) where the population is older, the buildings are old, and the population suffers from the fact that the municipalities invest most of their resources in establishing new sleeping quarters in the city (for example, if the colonies in Petah Tikva ).

Another possible location is the employment centers that focus entirely on office towers and a few commercials (for example, Kiryat Atidim, Kiryat Arie, Besser area in Bnei Brak and more). The municipalities have established these areas that are economically good for the city. They put in property taxes without education - kindergartens and schools - and parks. These areas live in the daytime but are empty at night, and suffer from the lack of mixing.

It is appropriate that the various parties that may form the next government will consider the possibility of incorporating the issue into their plans for the coming years. Rapid income from the change to urban plans (today a small apartment in the planning system is 75 square meters, small well-equipped apartments can also be 30-20 square meters) may change the housing picture in Israel very quickly.

On days when many young people cannot afford to buy a condo, and also find it difficult to find a suitable unit for rent in the big city centers - designing small units with shared spaces can be a great solution for young people who are looking for short term housing in a sane city center.