Rental prices for homes in the al-Mahabba Charity building and complex in Latakia have risen without a clear mechanism for the percentage of the increase, with the possibility of further increases in two months.
Some rents have increased by 50% to 70% or even 100% in the complex located in the al-Aouina neighborhood in Latakia.
The complex contains more than 150 residential apartments and belongs to the Orthodox Charity Endowment, which repeatedly raises rents verbally and “arbitrarily,” according to residents interviewed by Enab Baladi.
No mechanism for increase
Huda, a pseudonym for a woman residing in the complex, told Enab Baladi that the person responsible for collecting rents in the building informed residents about a monthly rent increase starting in January 2025.
She mentioned that the increase varies from one apartment to another, without considering the nature of the person’s work and their financial ability to pay, or the size of the apartment, as the complex contains apartments of various sizes, some of which resemble small offices.
She provided an example that an apartment with a rent of 200,000 Syrian pounds increased to 400,000, while another apartment that was renting for 400,000 increased to 600,000 pounds.
The woman sees the increase as “illogical and burdensome” for the residents, adding that complaints to the Archdiocese are met with the suggestion to vacate the apartment, and that rents are considered cheap compared to surrounding neighborhoods, without taking into account that the complex is “charitable” and not investment-based, according to her.
She pointed out that most residents rely on a single source of income, either through government salaries or personal work with monthly salaries ranging from 400,000 to 1,000,000 pounds, barely managing their living expenses.
Apartment rents are considered high compared to the living and economic conditions of residents, with the minimum government salary being 279,000 Syrian pounds (approximately $18).
No clarifications
Since 2010, apartment rents have gradually increased, starting at about 5,000 Syrian pounds, later rising to 7,000, then to 15,000, and eventually becoming 25,000 and 40,000 for larger apartments.
In May 2020, the average rent for small apartments became 50,000 Syrian pounds, and for larger apartments, it became 80,000, continuing to rise without specific timing or clear reasons.
Enab Baladi contacted Mr. Hanna Niemeh, who is responsible for collecting rents in the complex, and asked him about the mechanism for raising rents, their rates, and how they consider the families’ situations and sources of income, as well as his response to criticism that rents are inflated and that the building is taking on an investment character. However, he refused to provide clarification.
Following the fall of the Syrian regime on December 8, the city of Latakia witnessed a state of calm and confusion, with a lack of some services, before life gradually began to return to normal.
The city experienced a severe bread crisis for four days, with many families being unable to obtain the commodity, leading to overcrowding at the few open bakeries, while others remained closed due to a lack of fuel and flour necessary for baking.
In recent days, prices for most goods in Latakia have risen by 60% to 100% without controls, amid anticipation of what will happen in the coming days, along with promises and reassurances from factions and the caretaker government about the gradual return to normalcy.
In October, a statistic conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics in Syria revealed that a significant number of Syrian families are now relying on just one meal a day due to deteriorating living and economic conditions.