Czech housing support law broadened to aid homeless and seniors

The Czech Parliament approved amendments to the housing support act that lower the income floor to half of the subsistence minimum and raise the ceiling to twice that amount. The changes aim to extend state‑backed rent guarantees, counseling and settlement assistance to an estimated 350,000‑400,000 people in need.

Key figures in the deal include Pirate party deputy Olga Richterová, who said the revision could help 350‑400 thousand individuals, and ANO deputy Eva Fialová, author of the main amendment. The lower threshold should enable roughly 12 000 homeless people to qualify, while the higher ceiling opens eligibility for many low‑income seniors whose pensions previously exceeded the limit.

The law also introduces safeguards against abuse and shifts certain assessment responsibilities to the Labour Office. If implemented, the reforms could provide a legal guarantee that landlords receive rent payments for qualified tenants.

The Ministry of Regional Development argues the act already contains provisions for exceptions and complementary senior‑housing measures.