The Gush Etzion Regional Council in Judea, south of Jerusalem, announced on Monday a new policy that requires allocating apartments in new neighborhoods to people with special needs.
The council’s plenum approved the first-of-its-kind-in-Israel initiative this week.
The goal is to incorporate the integration of people with special needs into the planning and construction process, transforming it from an isolated initiative into a binding planning policy for new neighborhoods, Gush Etzion said in a statement.
Under the plan, 3% of every new zoning plan containing more than 100 housing units will be dedicated to people with disabilities.
“In practice, alongside the planning of synagogues, kindergartens, public institutions, open spaces and community infrastructure, every new neighborhood in Gush Etzion will also be required to include designated apartments that enable people with special needs to live as part of the community,” the council said.
The designated apartments, integrated into ordinary residential buildings, will be operated by nonprofit organizations and professional bodies specializing in supported and inclusive housing.
“This is a historic decision that reflects the way we view settlement in Gush Etzion. New construction is not merely about adding housing units, roads and infrastructure, it is an opportunity to build a complete, stronger and more inclusive community,” Yaron Rosenthal, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, said in the statement.
“In our view, 3% of the apartments represents 100% social and communal responsibility. Gush Etzion is proud to lead such an initiative, and I hope it will become a model for other local authorities across Israel,” he added.
The policy was developed based on the experiences gained from the inclusive community of Giv’ot in Gush Etzion.
