Egypt spends LE61B on alternative housing for slum dwellers

CAIRO – 13 July 2020: Communication Consultant to the Prime Minister Hani Younes stated in a phone-in Sunday that the state spent LE61 billion on creating alternative housing for slum dwellers, including utilities, public facilities, and full furnishing of the units.

Younes affirmed that all slum areas will be eliminated by the end of 2020. Egypt will finish implementing 100,000 housing units in FY 2020/2021, and plans to finish implementing 105,000 units in 2021/2022, Minister of Finance Mohamed Ma’it said Sunday.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi inaugurated on Sunday Asmarat 3 encompassing 7,440 fully-furnished residential units; each rented for a very low price of LE350 ($22) per month. Those are divided upon 124 flat-buildings; each has a ground floor, nine floors, and 60 apartments. The project spans over 62 feddans, and was built at a cost of LE3.6 billion.

The third phase of the project also includes a football field, four multi-purpose sport courts, two swimming pools, three social buildings, a playground, four nurseries, four health units, a parking lot with a 1,000-car capacity. That's in addition to 176 shops located in the ground floors of residential buildings. A mosque, a church and an automated bakery production line will be established.

Concerning Asmarat dwellers, 13.6 percent of the families are supported by female breadwinners, 47.7 percent are composed of more than four members, and 65 percent have members who are irregular workers, Social Solidarity Minister Nevin Al-Qabbaj said.

Also, 14.5 percent of the dwellers suffer from chronic diseases or disabilities and 33 percent are illiterate.