Used housing subsidy vacancies expire in La Araucanía

TEMUCO.- Several of the 70 consulting companies in the La Araucanía region that work as Business Real Estate Agents (EDIS) have reported that the Housing and Urban Service (SERVIU) did not inform them ahead of time about the closing date for applications to access the I housing support fund, which offers aid to people with very low income to purchase a used home.

Jeannette Canuqueo, who is the head of Comasa Viviendas Limitada, asserted “we were informed on January 21st, without prior notice, that the process was closed, leaving hundreds of people out of the running despite the fact that they had put together their applications far ahead of time”.

Nancy Lagos of Idea Chile claims that when SERVIU ended the application process in 2008, it was announced that it would be reopened in 2009.

Ximena Pinilla, who is one of the individuals affected by the situation, says that she has been trying to access the aid since May of 2008.  “They told us that there are no more resources.  I am desperate because I can wait, but the person who wants to sell the house to me cannot”. Like Pinilla, more than 100 people have found themselves in the exact same situation.