City project puts up poor families

Seventeen families are to move into a donated building in central Athens on Thursday as City Hall launches a social housing program aimed at tackling growing poverty and homelessness.

The Hatziconstas foundation donated the Bouboulinas Street building to City Hall, which is also cooperating with the nongovernment organization Anthropinoi Anthropoi (Human People). In the case of the Bouboulinas building, City Hall will cover electricity, water bills and tenants’ meals while Human People is to pay for heating.

NGO head Vera Messini said another three buildings and 50 apartments have been donated. On a visit to the Bouboulinas flats Wednesday, Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis said the project was “another step toward tackling the consequences of the financial crisis.”