DUBAI- Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Chairman of the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, revealed that the programme has issued over 67,000 housing aid decisions around the country costing AED17.5 billion since its inception in 1999, which include loans and grants to build new houses and maintain existing houses.
On the occasion of the UAE’s 48th National Day, Dr. Al Nuaimi stated that the main goal of the programme is to fulfil the housing needs of UAE citizens, so it reduced its waiting period from eight years to several months, noting that the proportion of citizens receiving housing aid exceeds 90 percent of applications, which was less than 30 percent when the programme was established. Al Nuaimi also pointed out that the value of housing support decisions made this year until October amounted to AED2.8 billion, an increase of 740 percent compared to 2001 and equivalent to over AED388 million, stressing that this high percentage reflects the keenness of the country’s leadership to provide citizens with suitable modern housing.
He added that the programme has issued 1,051 housing aid decisions to senior citizens and people of determination with an estimated cost of AED500 million, to ensure their housing stability and make them happy, further adding that the number of completed and delivered individual housing projects since the programme’s inception total 35,000 houses while houses delivered to UAE citizens through residential neighbourhoods amounted to 1,490, as part of the construction of five neighbourhoods costing AED1.5 billion. He also noted that the programme is implementing a package of housing projects around the country in 2019 which, include individual housing numbering over 11,000 units and another 2,936 houses as part of four housing neighbourhoods under construction, which will be delivered in 2020 and 2021, respectively, further noting that the total number of housing units under construction in 2019 is 13,946, and the programme aims to construct 13,200 individual housing units in 2020. Al Nuaimi further said that the number of future housing projects expected to be delivered from 2019 to 2025 is 17,873 individual houses costing AED17.32 billion, along with 5,134 houses in residential neighbourhoods under construction.
The cost of the programme’s future projects is expected to total AED22.32 billion over the next five years, he further added. The programme aims to meet sustainability standards related to residential neighbourhoods, through reducing water consumption by 40 percent and electricity consumption by 20 percent.
Founded by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late foundin father, Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme has set strategic objectives which seek to meet the current and future residential needs of Emirati citizens; provide and develop the sustainable and innovative residential environment beyond people expectations; and ensure provision of administrative services according to quality, efficiency and transparency standards.
© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2019.
