I have, in numerous articles, called for a limit to land grants and real estate loans for Saudis who do not have a house or a piece of land to build one on. Today, I recommend that the government give a monthly stipend in the form of a rent allowance to every married Saudi who is on the waiting list to receive a plot of land from the government or approval for a loan. The Kingdom would not be the first country to offer its citizens such an allowance; some of the GCC countries pay such allowances to their citizens. In Kuwait, for example, every married citizen, whether a government servant or a private sector employee, is given a rent allowance until he receives his plot of land or approval for a real estate loan. Rent allowances will solve many problems for Saudi families who do not own houses or are unable to cope with the rising costs of living. Such a step will have positive social implications as affordable housing is something all citizens want. We should also introduce laws that clearly define the rights of tenants and landlords and help control rapidly rising rent prices.
