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Belarus Pursues Rent-to-Own Housing Policy in Small Towns and Rural Areas
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko recently discussed reforms to the rental housing system during a meeting with his cabinet. The focus centered on establishing clear and transparent conditions for home ownership after a rental period, particularly in small towns and rural areas.
The discourse was structured around the deteriorating rental housing situation in these lesser-populated regions. Lukashenko suggested a proposed system whereby individuals, after working for a certain period—such as 10 or 15 years—without interruption in their rented housing, would be granted the right to buy it in ownership. This measure is intended to stimulate regional employment retention.
Additionally, the conversation addressed the issue of outdated housing stock in Belarus. The country is estimated to have around 3-4 thousand rental houses in poor condition, necessitating an annual investment of over 10 million rubles for renovation.
Lukashenko noted the demand from the population for such housing to be sold with the stipulation that the buyers would renovate it. However, he emphasized the need for clear conditions to be established for these transactions.
In another proposal, Lukashenko suggested considering offering free housing to young specialists in remote regions. This initiative, he suggested, could potentially serve as an incentive for professionals to relocate to less populated areas.
Enrichment data suggests that Belarus' push for rental housing development is part of a broader strategy to construct up to 5 million square meters of new rental housing nationwide. This initiative aims to address housing availability issues beyond major cities like Minsk, where rental housing is common, by providing a path to home ownership outside urban areas.
While administrative rules and application procedures for the rent-to-own housing policy were not detailed in the current sources, the emphasis on a 10-year rental period leading to ownership remains the key framework announced by the Belarusian government as of May 2025.
The discourse on rental housing reform in Belarus includes a proposal for a rent-to-own policy, where individuals who rent for a certain period, such as 10 or 15 years, can buy their homes, potentially stimulating regional employment retention. Furthermore, this policy is part of a broader strategy to improve housing conditions and promote home ownership outside urban areas, with the government establishing clear conditions for these transactions.
