Prague 3 to offer 32 flats in Blahoslavova Street for sale to tenants

Prague 3 will offer 32 tenants of a panel building in Blahoslavova Street apartments for purchase, for which it can make approximately CZK 82.3 million. The first part of the privatisation of the flats in the street was approved today by the city district councillors. The town hall plans to continue selling the flats to tenants according to the previously approved plan. The councillors also approved today the sale of several non-residential units on the basis of an electronic auction, which was criticised by the opposition.

Prague has been facing a housing crisis in recent years due to high housing prices. The total number of flats owned by the municipality, including those managed by the city districts, is about 30,000 out of the original 194,000 that came into the city's ownership after 1991. Privatisations followed, reducing the city's stock by more than 80 percent. The city's management wants to increase the number of public housing units again and thus ensure affordable housing for people in difficult social situations or representatives of professions that are essential to the running of the metropolis. However, the town halls decide on the flats entrusted to the municipal districts themselves.

Councillor Jan Bartko (Pirates) said that the appraisal price for the flats in Blahoslavova Street was CZK 59 000 to 63 000 per square metre. The town hall gives tenants a 25 percent discount on this price if they meet certain conditions. According to the information at the time, the reconstruction of the panel building cost CZK 182.6 million, including VAT, and was completed in mid-2022.

So far, the sale of the flats leading to the first two entrances of the panel house in Blahoslavova Street is being discussed, and Bartek said the town hall also wants to privatize the flats in the other two, ideally this year. In the future, according to the previously approved plan, other sales of flats in Táboritská or Kubelíkova Street are also on the cards. However, in the case of Kubelíkova Street, the district has encountered a number of legal and construction-technical problems, so privatisation will probably not be possible, according to Bartko. Prague 3 has previously repaired and sold houses in Roháčova Street and Ondříčkova Street, for example.

Yesterday, the city district's deputies also approved the sale of five unused non-residential premises owned by the city hall, for which Bartek said he could make CZK 13.5 million. The municipal district has announced electronic auctions for the sale. "We plan to continue the sales in further stages in the future," the councillor said.

The sales of non-residential premises have been criticised by the opposition, which believes it is not strategic to get rid of property that can be rented out and can thus bring a profit. "Long-term financing is sustainable only if we have enough secondary resources, which will be generated by the residential and non-residential units," said councillor Petr Venhoda (ANO). Councillor Jan Materna (TOP 09) said it is not possible to keep all the property when part of it is in bad condition and there is no money for repairs.

Prague 3 has about 74,000 inhabitants and includes Žižkov and parts of Vinohrady, Vysočany and Strašnice. The district is led by a coalition of TOP 09 and STAN, the Pirates, Prague 3 Soba and the Greens. In opposition are the Coalition for P3 (ODS, KDU-ČSL), ANO, Patriots for Prague 3 and the Trikolora and SPD clubs.

Source: Prague 3 and CTK
Photo: Councillor Jan Bartko - Prague 3