The Cuban National Housing Institute said Tuesday that as many as 4,901 applications for subsidies to repair, rehabilitate or construct houses had been submitted Monday, the first day a new policy to help the poor took effect.

Among them, 1339 applications have been approved, according to the institute.

For the first time in 50 years, Cuba announced last week it would provide subsidies for the construction of homes to those in need.

One subsidy amounts to a maximum of 80,000 pesos (about 3,300 U.S. dollars) to build a house of up to 25 square meters, an area considered the size of a "basic residential cell."

The new policy has been adopted to help people living in "vulnerable conditions," mainly families affected by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, landslides or fires.