The General Director of the Housing Bank, Antoine Habib, announced that the bank will extend the deadline for submitting applications for housing and solar energy loans until September 30. In an interview with Al-Hurra channel on the "Lebanese Scene" program with Mona Saliba, Habib did not rule out the possibility of adjusting the loan amount if additional loans are received from Arab funds. He also stated that seven or eight commercial banks have resumed granting loans for housing and solar energy in amounts higher than those of the Housing Bank, with low-interest rates approaching 7%, similar to the Bank of Lebanon and the Mediterranean.
Habib explained that the number of applicants for housing loans has reached tens of thousands, with some applications incomplete due to missing documents. He mentioned a promise from the Kuwaiti ambassador and some officials that the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, headquartered in Kuwait, will transfer a loan of approximately $165 million to the Housing Bank. He confirmed that the mortgage contract with the borrower is in Lebanese pounds and it is impossible for the loan currency to switch from Lebanese to dollars. He clarified that the loan from the Arab Fund in Kuwait is converted to the Central Bank of Lebanon in Kuwaiti dinars, and the Central Bank then provides the funds to the Housing Bank in Lebanese pounds.
Additionally, he revealed that the board of directors of the Housing Bank decided to provide 30% of the property price in cash to assist real estate developers.
