Government Legal Advisor Reverses Decision on Housing Lottery Eligibility for Haredi Winners

The Attorney General's Office has decided not to retroactively cancel the eligibility of thousands of Haredi individuals who won housing lottery "Diara Be'hanacha" (Discounted Apartment) spots, even if they have not yet signed a purchase contract. The new restrictions, related to military conscription status, will only apply to future lottery participants.

This decision alleviates significant uncertainty for thousands of Haredi winners who feared losing their housing opportunities due to their status with military authorities, especially if they had not yet finalized the purchase process. The Attorney General's Office clarified that individuals holding a valid eligibility certificate, even if they are on a waiting list and have not yet won, will not lose their eligibility at this stage.

Their military conscription status will only be examined when their eligibility certificate needs renewal. For those who have already won, the ruling is even clearer: the requirement to regulate their status with military authorities will not be applied, allowing them to sign purchase contracts even if their eligibility certificate has not been renewed since winning.

The legal opinion interprets the housing authority's regulations to apply to those seeking to participate in future lotteries and those who participated but did not win, not to those who have already secured a win. Consequently, existing housing wins for thousands of Haredi individuals will not be revoked retroactively due to conscription issues.

The new limitation will come into effect for individuals obligated for military service when they seek to renew their eligibility for future lotteries. The Attorney General's Office stated this interpretation considers the reliance interests of those who have already won versus those still waiting, allowing the latter to arrange their military status for potential future wins.