Housing issues

The Housing Board has published a note on the way its deals with house pricings and transfers. The stewardship of newly-built houses is being allocated at cost price, while the transfer price of existing houses is assessed on the basis of a valuation made by a certified valuator. The valuation of existing houses takes into account a depreciation of 1% per year, inflation of the construction materials and wages, and how well the house has been maintained. If the value as assessed is lower than the value of the new house, the price difference will have to be covered.

When an Aurovilian leaves Auroville, and requires financial support to continue life elsewhere, a group is formed to determine the Repatriation Allowance. Repatriation Allowances are paid from the Auroville Repatriation Fund, which gets 50% of the transfer value of the house which is left behind (if any), while the remaining 50% will be used by the Housing Service as grant for the people in need of funds for becoming a housing steward or for building an extension to an existing house. There is no link between the value of the house left behind and the Repatriation Allowance: all those who leave Auroville and are in need are entitled to an allowance.

When an Aurovilian passes away, the stewardship of the house left behind is either re-allocated pro bono, or transferred. In this case the transfer value is allocated by the Housing Board as grant(s) to those in need.