The Greek Armed Forces housing program has entered its third phase, progressing at a rapid pace, with the overall long-term plan targeting a stock of 17,484 modern residential units by 2040.
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The third phase launched last July with the tender of projects totaling over €60 million in budget. This implementation stage of the housing program includes the construction of 181 new residential units across Orestiada, Soufli, Alexandroupoli, Lesvos, Chios, Symi, Rhodes, and Athens. Notably, projects worth a combined €50 million have been incorporated into the Public Investment Program, of which €36.65 million covers the construction of new homes and €13.35 million funds the construction and expansion of daycare centers as well as the development of welfare and accommodation facilities. In addition, over €10 million comes from revenues generated by the newly established National Defense Real Estate Fund, directed toward the implementation of the housing program.
Greek military housing program: third and final phase brings free homes for service members
The third phase also includes plans for six new daycare centers in Volos, Kalamata, Chania, Athens, and Thessaloniki, along with extensions to existing facilities to accommodate infants. At the same time, a 24-apartment residential complex is being built in Attica to address — for the first time — the housing needs of military veterans, along with two student accommodation complexes with a combined capacity of 48 apartments in Athens and Thessaloniki, intended for reserve officer cadets enrolled in specialized service programs.
As Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias has emphasized, “the housing program is not words or announcements — it is a reality: measured, costed, funded, and being executed on schedule by people determined to see it through. For the Armed Forces to remain combat-ready, their personnel must enjoy a standard of living they deserve, and it is our duty to ensure that.”
The program began in August 2023 with a comprehensive survey of existing military housing stock, an assessment of personnel accommodation needs, and the preparation of all required studies. In May 2024, the first round of funding was secured — totaling €100 million from the Public Investment Program — to cover the first and second construction phases, with the aim of building homes across 54 building complexes throughout Thrace and the islands of the Central and Eastern Aegean.
The placement of new housing units prioritizes Thrace, the Evros region, and the islands of the Eastern Aegean, the Dodecanese, and the Cyclades. Site selection is based on documented housing shortfalls, high rental costs, limited housing availability — particularly in areas with strong tourist demand — and the staffing needs of units and services in regions of heightened operational significance. In these areas, the accommodation needs of military personnel significantly exceed the existing stock of military housing.
First and second phases completed
According to the most recently published data, 462 residential units have already been completed under the first and second phases, with an additional 801 units expected to be delivered in the near future. With a further 181 units added under the third phase, the immediately active portion of the program totals 1,444 new homes — 462 of which have already been delivered or completed, and 982 of which are currently under construction or in the implementation pipeline. For context, only 799 military housing units were built over the entire previous two decades.
Additional housing units are expected to be secured through a collaboration between the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, with a view to repurposing inactive military camps. Under this arrangement, the Ministry of National Defense grants use of the residential units for a defined period without transferring ownership, while also assuming responsibility for the management and technical supervision of construction works. In return, it is set to receive €70,000,000 — equivalent to 25% of the social housing funding.
In total, the program’s long-term plan envisions the construction of 10,454 new homes and the modernization of 7,030 existing units by 2040, bringing the overall stock to 17,484 modern residences. Implementation is divided across three periods: 2024–2030, 2031–2035, and 2036–2040, with a total budget of €1.7 billion. Of this amount, €1.44 billion is expected to be covered by the Ministry of National Defense’s own resources, and €260 million through the Public Investment Program and the collaboration with the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family.
Published in Parapolitika
