Riga houses would be ready to build rental houses as well

The municipality SIA “Rīgas nami” would be ready to build rental houses as well, if there is such a request from the Riga City Council, Baiba Beatrise Sleže, chairman of the board of the municipality SIA “Rīgas nami”, said in an interview to LETA agency.

She explained that a housing development policy is currently being developed in Riga, within the framework of which there will also be a clear demand for how many additional apartments should or should not be built in the near future. “There is a demand for rental houses, but primarily we are a company designed for the needs of the city of Riga and we should not have to compete directly with commercial players on the market. We are ready to build in the same way as SIA “Rīgas pilsētbūvnieks” used to do. Yes, we can, but that does not diminish responsibility for the preservation of historical heritage and its meaningful use today,” Sleže said. She added that the demand has not yet been realized, therefore “Rīgas nami” cannot invent and build houses by themselves, because they would like to. The request must come from the city. “Rīgas nami” is working together with Riga City Council on this issue. Sleže expressed that apartments that are directly related to the provision of the functions of the Riga City Council, which are primarily social assistance or support of specific population groups, should be under the control of “Rīgas namu”. It is also the company’s strategic ambition that all the apartments and housing stock needed by the city of Riga should be under the control of “Rīgas namu”. The company would take responsibility for the management and construction of these apartments. Asked if all the apartments under the management of the company – 6,000 – are necessary for the functions of the city, Sleže said that some of the residential buildings have non-residential areas, which are rented or put to use for the provision of various social services.

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