Egypt builds 500K residential units for citizens non-eligible for social housing

CAIRO - 3 June 2021: Good Morning Egypt TV show aired Thursday a report on a presidential initiative aimed at building 500,000 residential units in the capitals of governorates for citizens whose income is higher than the maximum making them eligible for social housing.

The size of each unit of those is 110 square meters, and it consists of three rooms, combined living and dining area, kitchen, and bathroom.

In November, the reservation of a number of social housing units opened for a week. The number of units offered was 125,000 located across 14 new cities.

Citizens who wish to get units have to first purchase application forms from any nearby post office. Then, pay a deposit worth LE125,000. The units will be delivered within 36 months, and are finished.

The housing minister stated that the state subsidizes each unit with a sum ranging between LE210,000 and LE280,000 for low-income citizens and LE190,000-LE250,000 for middle-income countries. The subsidized amount consists of the cost of utilities introduction, and the land price among others.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Monday ordered establishing 500 housing units inside large cities and capitals of governorates, as part of the national project dubbed “Residence for all Egyptians.”

So far, 414,000 housing units have been established for youth with low income with a total cost of LE 51 billion ($3.15 billion), Minister of Housing Assem Al-Gazzar said.

Also, in middle-income housing project “Dar Misr”, 41,424 units have been established at LE 13 billion ($803.4 million) and 15,480 are being established at a cost of LE 4.6 billion ($284.3 million). In “Sakan Misr” project also for middle-income housing, 2,232 units have been established and 67,696 are being built, at a total cost of LE 20.97 billion ($1.3 billion).

Concerning luxury-housing project “JANNA,” 4,032 housing projects has been established and 36,248 others are being constructed, at a cost of LE 1.6 billion ($98.9 million) and LE 14.5 billion ($896 million) respectively.

Also, 328,000 plots of land have been provided for different classes of society between 2014 and 2020, Gazzar said.

The Housing Ministry has been keen to build partnerships with the private sector; the state has contracted with private companies on 17 projects established over 19,250 feddans (19,978 acres), with a LE 500 billion ($30.9 billion) in the cities of New Cairo, 6th of October, Sheikh Zayed, Extension of Sheikh Zayed and Hadayek October.