Housing: An Ongoing Challenge

Despite the numerous services that Kiryas Joel provides, housing is always at the top of the municipal agenda. With a population approaching 15,000 (including inhabitants and students), Kiryas Joel is hard pressed to provide adequate housing.

Government assisted housing, is only a fraction of the overall construction in Kiryas Joel. Private housing is built on a regular basis for low and middle-income families. Working on the dual tracks of government assisted programs and private construction keeps the Housing Authority and Building Department busy. Its primary challenge is to continue to build affordable housing for the large number of newly-weds.

For the newly incorporated Village of Kiryas Joel, the pressure of meeting the needs of a largely lower income population was a source of constant pressure. At the same time, converting an area of woods and fields into a residential area was also not an easy task. With the help of Town, County, State and Federal officials, the village took small steps even as its population grew dramatically.