Debrecen4U October 26, 2026

Főnix Housing Programme Opens Up to Employees in Debrecen

In 2026, the Municipality of Debrecen relaunched the Főnix Housing Programme, aimed at helping employees under the age of 35 who work in Debrecen with their housing costs. The General Assembly approved the expansion of the programme at its meeting on 22 October 2026. The Ownership and Economic Development Committee will subsequently decide on launching the third application round, after which Cívis Ház Zrt., acting as the landlord, will issue the call for applications.

Under the existing funding arrangements, which will remain unchanged, the Municipality will continue to cover one-third of the rent by providing a subsidy to the landlord throughout the five-year tenancy. Tenants will also be able to receive support from their employers.

Employees eligible for support under the programme must:

• Have an indefinite-term employment relationship with a company whose registered office, business premises or branch is located in Debrecen, or with a budgetary institution carrying out state or municipal functions.
• Be under the age of 35 when submitting their application.
• Be Hungarian citizens or dual Hungarian citizens.
• Not own all or part of a residential property in Debrecen.
• Establish a registered address in Debrecen by registering their residence at the rented property.

Employees will be able to choose from the same pool of properties included in the programme as employers. Cívis Ház Zrt. will offer unfurnished, air-conditioned apartments in move-in condition, with usable floor areas ranging from 31 to 47 square metres.

During the first application round, two applicants submitted declarations of development intent to make a total of 229 apartments available: the Rent4U Real Estate Development Fund for properties at 1–3 Monostorpályi Road, and the TERRA Real Estate Investment Fund for properties at 1–6 Boldogfalva Street.

According to the property developers’ statements, 15 apartments with final occupancy permits are expected to be available to applicants by the end of 2026. A further 82 apartments are expected to become available in the first half of 2027, while the remaining 132 apartments are anticipated to be available for applications in the second half of 2027. Further information will be published on the website in due course.

Basic apartment fittings and equipment

The apartments will have bathrooms fitted with sanitary ware. Kitchens will include upper and lower cabinets, a fridge, hob, oven, extractor hood and sink, with connections prepared for a dishwasher.

In view of the specific circumstances of this new group of applicants, an additional provision has been introduced into the application rules. If a tenant no longer meets the eligibility requirements, the landlord will allow a six-month grace period in which they can re-establish their eligibility.

If the employee fails to meet the requirements by the end of this period, the tenancy will no longer qualify for municipal support. However, this will not prevent the employee from continuing to rent the apartment from Cívis Ház Zrt. by paying the full rent.

The General Assembly decided on the expansion of the programme at its October 2026 meeting. The Ownership and Economic Development Committee will then decide whether to launch the third application round, after which Cívis Ház Zrt. will publish the call for applications.

Once the application rounds have closed, the Ownership and Economic Development Committee will decide on the applications submitted to the programme. Cívis Ház Zrt. will be responsible for concluding the tenancy agreements as landlord.

New municipal rental housing regulations and housing policy take effect

The new municipal rental housing regulations and housing policy came into force on 1 October. In line with the provisions of the Housing Act, the regulations distinguish between three categories of rental housing: social, cost-based and market-rate.

To fulfil its obligations as landlord under the regulations, Cívis Ház Zrt. has reviewed the municipal housing stock it manages and prepared a proposal for classifying the properties into the relevant rental categories. The Ownership and Economic Development Committee will decide on the classification of the apartments on 22 October.

Following the entry into force of the regulations, the utilisation of approximately 200 municipal apartments suitable for rental could begin during 2026–2027, in several successive phases.

Cívis Ház Zrt. has begun preparations for the first application process for rental housing. These include technical inspections and renovations to bring the apartments into a suitable condition for their intended use, as well as invoicing and IT developments required under the new regulations. By the end of November, the first 40 social rental apartments are expected to have undergone any necessary renovations.

Subject to a decision by the Ownership and Economic Development Committee, the first application process can then begin, covering the 40 apartments proposed for allocation. Following that decision, Cívis Ház Zrt. will publish the call for applications and details of the available apartments in early January 2027.

Cívis Ház Zrt. will arrange viewings on working days between the 10th and 20th days following publication. Applications for housing may be submitted to the Social Affairs Department of Debrecen’s Municipal Government Office up to the 30th day after publication.

Background to the Főnix Housing Programme

In April 2024, the General Assembly launched the Főnix Housing Programme, a housing support initiative described as unique in Hungary. It aims to help employees under the age of 35 who work in Debrecen, have indefinite-term employment contracts and work in either the private or public sector. The programme is designed to encourage young people to remain in the city and help employers retain their workforce by having the Municipality cover one-third of market rental costs, with the remaining two-thirds shared between the employer and the employee.

To implement the programme, the Municipality works with local property developers and property owners, who provide the apartments included in the scheme. These properties can be rented by participating employers, which may include multinational companies, small and medium-sized enterprises, and budgetary institutions carrying out state or municipal functions. Employers can then make the apartments available to their employees.

By sharing rental costs between the Municipality, employers and employees, the programme enables businesses in Debrecen to offer a new employee benefit, strengthening their position in the competition to recruit and retain staff. For employees, the arrangement can help them build up savings and move closer to purchasing their own home.

The programme therefore offers a comprehensive way to ease the housing challenges faced by young people in Debrecen. By increasing the supply of housing, it may also help moderate the rate at which property prices and rents rise.

The tenancy arrangement is for a fixed term of five years, during which employees are entitled to benefit from the subsidised housing scheme. This five-year period provides participants with a predictable and stable framework. The role of Cívis Ház Zrt. as the principal tenant also provides an additional safeguard, helping ensure the stability of tenancy arrangements.

Cívis Ház Zrt. is responsible for administering the application processes and coordinating the letting of the properties.

The first application round for property developers took place in the second quarter of 2026. Two applicants submitted proposals covering a total of 229 apartments, which will be managed by Cívis Ház Zrt.

Rent for the apartments is exempt from VAT, indexed to inflation, denominated in Hungarian forints and payable monthly throughout the tenancy, including periods when an apartment is vacant.

Following the submission of development declarations by applicants in the first round, Cívis Ház Zrt. suspended that round and, in August 2026, launched the second application round for employers wishing to rent apartments included in the programme. This process is currently under way.

Once the second round and the third round for employees have been completed, the Ownership and Economic Development Committee will jointly assess and adjudicate the applications submitted in the first, second and third rounds.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu