What is the ruling on paying a sum of money to a responsible employee to obtain government housing, which is one of the most basic rights of a citizen, in order to alleviate hardship?

Obtaining subsidized housing has two scenarios:

The first scenario: If you do not meet the state's conditions for obtaining housing, or if someone is prioritizing you over those who are more deserving, then it is not permissible to pay money to obtain it, because that is part of the forbidden bribery according to the texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah, such as His (Allah's) saying: "Listeners to falsehood, devourers of illicit gain" and "And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly," and the hadith: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, cursed the one who gives a bribe and the one who takes it."

The second scenario: If you meet the conditions, but the employees demand a bribe to hand over your right, and you are not being prioritized over those who are more deserving, then there is no blame upon you for paying the money to obtain your right. The sin in this case falls upon the one who takes the bribe, not the one who gives it, because this situation is not forbidden bribery; rather, it is paying to establish a right. It has been reported that Ibn Mas'ud did so.