New Era in Public Real Estate Utilization: The Role of Ministries

A groundbreaking initiative by the Ministry of Justice sets a precedent for other ministries, breathing new life into dormant public properties. The Ministry’s intervention involves transferring the use of 15 former Courts of Peace to 13 municipalities and two police directorates across Greece. These buildings, rendered inactive due to the New Judicial Map, are being repurposed for community purposes, including municipal services, police units, and social structures. Although these properties belong to TACHDIK (Public Real Estate Management Organization), which focuses on judicial infrastructure, converting them into housing would require legislative regulation or special ministerial decisions. Nevertheless, this decision paves the way for utilizing public real estate to address housing crises and promote social housing, inspiring other ministries as noted by the Prime Minister. The official announcement from the Ministry of Justice estimates the objective value of the properties at nearly €4 million, with their actual worth considered much higher due to architectural and cultural significance. Beneficiary municipalities include Aigialeia, Kyme – Aliveri, Zacharo, Ancient Olympia, Pinios, Alexandreia, Chalkedona, Xylokastro – Evrostini, Pydna – Kolindros, Lokroi, Aristotle, Gortynia, and Karystos. Additionally, two former Courts of Peace will house police structures in Heraklion, Crete, and Astros Kynourias, enhancing local security operations. Meanwhile, the Public Real Estate Company (ETAD) is assessing the first 1,000 properties as part of its portfolio, marking the first significant step towards utilizing an extensive number of assets while overcoming substantial obstacles. According to newsit.gr, ETAD, responsible for over 70,000 Greek public properties, plans to launch an unprecedented initiative soon. The primary goal is to evaluate the initial 1,000 properties out of a broader pool of 36,000, leading to their eventual utilization for developmental, investment, or social purposes. In the first phase, ETAD aims to utilize 6,500 properties out of the total 36,000.