Housing put on fast track

Manama : Housing Minister, Bassim Al-Hamar, yesterday announced plans to increase private sector contribution to expedite housing reforms in the Kingdom.

The move follows the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier to strengthen partnership with the private sector to fast-track the distribution of housing units to the citizens.

Speaking during a meeting with the representatives of real-estate development companies, the Minister said that the ministry has enhanced its efforts to fast-track procedures and to ensure the sustainability of the schemes.

“Three projects have already been completed,” the Minister told the representative of the real estate companies citing the projects in the Northern City, Al-Lawzi Housing project and Deerat Al-Oyoun Project.

Al-Lawzi Housing project is on the government-owned land in the Northern City, while Al-Lawzi Housing project is part of the “Mazaya” scheme which provided 2500 units since 2014. Deerat Al-Oyoun Project is a 3100-unit housing deal signed between Housing Ministry and Diyar Al-Muharraq Company.

The minister also assured that the ministry is holding studies to reduce the number of Mazaya eligible beneficiaries, which, he said, “requires increasing the number of offered units.”

Real estate developers welcomed the government’s desire to strengthen partnership with the private sector.