Israel Offers Land for $80,000 in New Community for Disabled and Reservists

The Israel Land Authority (ILA) is attempting to increase housing supply and lower prices by offering plots of land in the community of Ramat Trump. The initiative primarily targets individuals with disabilities and combat reservists, with priority given to residents of the local council and then to combat reservists nationwide. The ILA is providing land for free, with successful bidders only responsible for development costs, which are estimated at approximately 313,000 shekels (about $80,000) per plot. This offer represents a significant discount compared to market land prices, especially for the relatively large plot sizes, which range from 400 to 500 square meters, with some up to 600 square meters. Ramat Trump, located east of the settlement of Kela Alon, is about a 20-25 minute drive north of Kiryat Shmona and a 20-minute drive south of Katzrin. The community began in November 2020 with the placement of caravans on land previously abandoned by immigrants from the former Soviet Union. It is intended to be a mixed community for religious and secular residents. The current tender includes 28 plots, and it is expected to close in early November. A previous tender in September 2025 offered 24 plots, also with free land and subsidized development costs, which amounted to about 156,000 shekels, plus additional payments and connection fees.

The state's strategy involves offering land at a discount, often covering the land's value, while buyers pay for infrastructure development such as roads, electricity, water, and gas. This approach aims to make homeownership more accessible, particularly in peripheral areas where such opportunities are rarer. The ILA hopes this will contribute to a decrease in overall housing prices, although current land prices are closer to assessed values than to the significant discounts seen earlier in the war.