<h1>No interest in starter apartments in Brno, the city will change the conditions</h1>

Brno - There is not much interest in the so-called starter apartments with more favorable rents in Brno; only four interested parties have responded to the offer of 44 new apartments. The city has therefore extended the deadline for submitting applications. Starter apartments offer more favorable rents, but applicants must meet conditions regarding salary, age, and family situation. The city of Brno is offering starter apartments for the first time, said the mayor of the city, Roman Onderka (ČSSD), to journalists today.
     "Starter apartments are a beneficial opportunity. The amount spent by people on housing is not small in our city," Onderka said. Couples under 35 years old, whose income does not exceed twice the average gross wage, can apply for starter apartments with a rent of 50 koruna per square meter. They must also have a closed building savings contract with a target amount of at least 200,000 koruna and meet other conditions. The contract is concluded for three years, with a possible extension of another two years.
     According to Onderka, the low interest in the apartments can be explained in several ways. Property prices have fallen, and many people are considering taking out a loan to buy their own housing. Starter apartments are also a new concept that young couples may not be aware of. At the same time, in Brno, which is a university city, an established system of student co-housing operates, making it easy to find a place in an apartment with other people at a reasonable price.
     The mayor did not rule out changes to some conditions for obtaining a starter apartment in Brno in the future. "If it turns out that some parameters need to be adjusted, I believe that the Brno City Council will find enough courage to make those adjustments. It must be said that this is a pilot project," Onderka said.
People were able to submit applications for starter apartments until the end of June; the deadline is now extended to August 31. The apartments were created by converting the former Juventus boarding house on Stamicova Street in the Kohoutovice district. Besides starter apartments, there will also be apartments for seniors with care services and barrier-free apartments for the disabled in the building.