193 Buyers Sue Developer Oded Shriki for Delays in Major Bnei Brak Housing Project

Developer Oded Shriki faces a new lawsuit from 193 apartment buyers demanding approximately 15 million shekels in compensation for delays in delivering units in his large-scale housing project in Bnei Brak. The project, part of the national "Price for Residents" program, is located in the northeastern neighborhood of Ayelet Hashahar and includes about 3,000 apartments, with Shriki responsible for roughly half across 33 buildings. Buyers who purchased apartments in 2021 were promised delivery by November 30, 2023, but claim Shriki began construction without fulfilling preconditions such as building an acoustic wall along the railway and starting the Harling Bridge project, which were required for occupancy permits.

The buyers allege Shriki failed to inform them of delays in real time, despite warnings from Bnei Brak's mayor in 2023 that construction commencement was misleading. Just days before the scheduled handover, Shriki notified buyers of project completion without disclosing his inability to deliver the apartments. After about two months of delay, he attributed the hold-up to disputes with government bodies including the Ministry of Housing, the Israel Land Authority, and the municipality regarding the bridge and railway covering. The average delay experienced by buyers is about 11.5 months. Additionally, some apartments remain unfinished or have defects preventing occupancy.

This lawsuit follows previous legal actions against Shriki related to the same project: in late 2022, 20 buyers sued for 2.2 million shekels, and in 2021, 184 buyers filed a 10 million shekel claim. The buyers are represented by attorneys Irad Baumel and Yona Zahavi. Shriki's company has not responded to requests for comment.