OVER the past several years, the Housing Ministry worked to issue and approve a number of programs and agencies in order to come with appropriate solutions to the housing shortage. These solutions were meant to contribute to regulating the real estate market and solving the housing problem by increasing the supply and enabling citizens to own property easily and quickly through support programs with the help of the Real Estate Fund. This was a good step as many people had been calling for it for years. However, the most important thing is the ability to meet the target of helping citizens in different localities with the application of these solutions on the ground and in accordance with their capabilities and potentials. The news published in some newspapers and circulated on social media last week on the distribution of housing units in Al-Shanan region of Hail talks about the refusal by the majority of eligible applicants to accept these units. Only four out of 111 citizens who applied for the units accepted the units. The reason stated in the report for their refusal of the offer was their inability to pay the monthly installment of SR2,400. This is an important indicator that confirms that any solutions must be compatible with residential programs. How could a citizen refuse to receive housing that he has been waiting for decades? A straight answer: His monthly income is not enough to make the installment payments. The ministry's policies and regulations will apply to everyone with regard to the distribution of residential products, methods of payment and the value of programs, but the issue of different levels and classes of society in different cities or provinces must be looked into and the conditions must not apply to everyone equally. Hence, the importance of flexibility in such cases. It is not reasonable to apply the same policy to everyone without distinguishing between low-income applicants and others from middle-income groups. We are not asking for exceptions or to open the door to mediation and favoritism, but we call for consideration of genuine cases that need housing support yet unable to pay the installments according to the ministry's new conditions. Why not look into putting retirees and people with limited income at the same level with people who meet the Real Estate Fund installment plans? Or at least limit the monthly installment so it does not exceed SR1,200 per month, especially in small villages and provinces that do not have employment opportunities and high levels of income? The ministry faces a big challenge in the completion of residential projects in various regions of the Kingdom, followed by another challenge: to convince citizens to receive their units under the terms and policies of the ministry. Most of these challenges exist in the provinces and villages to be covered by the housing projects, so special attention must be given to their potential and their ability to cope with installments in terms of value and duration of payment.
