Homes Built Under Charitable Program Offered to Residents at 'Symbolic Price'

Residents of the "Hope Avan" neighborhood are concerned about potentially losing their homes due to recent changes proposed by the "Diakonia" charitable foundation. In an interview with Hetq.am, residents reported that the foundation's president, Baruir Jambazyan, and lawyer Ararat Grigoryan have summoned them in groups to meetings, offering to buy their private houses for a "symbolic price" or to sign a new contract under revised terms with the foundation.

Residents indicated that under the proposed new contract, they would be obligated to pay property taxes, land taxes, as well as fees for waste disposal and irrigation water. Following residents' complaints, this process has been temporarily halted.

The government has deemed "Hope Avan" a charitable program. The "Diakonia" charitable foundation was established in 2001. In the same year, the Government's Central Commission for Humanitarian Aid allocated 16 hectares of land adjacent to the Ashtarak highway for the purpose of creating a residential neighborhood, which was intended for 200 underprivileged families. Currently, 79 families reside in the neighborhood.

According to the government's approved program, the houses were allocated to families free of charge and indefinitely, with the ownership remaining with the foundation. However, the structures in the neighborhood, as per the government's commission's decision, are not subject to sale or mortgage.

How residents were offered to buy their houses: The "Diakonia" charitable foundation has signed contracts with the residents of "Hope Avan" every five years. These contracts govern the relationship between the residents and the foundation, defining the rights and obligations of the residents.

Artak Srapionyants, a resident of "Hope Avan" for 13 years, has also received an offer to purchase his home. The house was provided to his family free of charge indefinitely. In July 2019, Artak was unexpectedly informed by the foundation's director and lawyer that he would either need to sign a new contract under different terms or buy the house he occupies.

Srapionyants recounted that during the meeting, he was also asked to write a request letter regarding his status, which the foundation would present to the government along with other residents' requests in order to "privatize" the land allocated to the "Hope Avan" neighborhood. However, in a later conversation, foundation president Baruir Jambazyan clarified that they were addressing the government for different purposes.

The lawyer stated, "We are no longer able to pay the fees—land tax, property tax, waste fees, irrigation water fees. They said that when the new contract is signed, the terms would be updated and fees for waste disposal and irrigation water, as well as land and property taxes will be included. They mentioned that the issue would be resolved (referring to the privatization of the land), and then we would determine the prices of the houses. And it was proposed to us that we would be given a discount, at a symbolic price. The person specifically suggested that if we do this, he would begin to sell those houses," said Artak Srapionyants.

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