JEDDAH — The Jeddah Slums Committee has confirmed that the rent has been paid to more than 14,000 families whose properties were demolished in Jeddah slums with a value exceeding SR243 million since the redevelopment project started implementing in October 2021. The committee said that the Saudi government makes available several free services to citizens who were owners of razed slums, including temporary housing and paying of rent. Among the services that Saudi Arabia has been keen to provide to citizens is the employment services, as it has employed about 213 male and female citizens who were residents of random neighborhoods and are registered in social security schemes through empowerment programs formulated for them. There are also 86,000 beneficiaries of other miscellaneous services, including food baskets, water supply, meals, medicines, baby formula, and transporting luggage to new destinations. It is noteworthy that allotment of housing for owners of razed properties covers three categories: the first of which includes families who are beneficiaries of social security, and about 4781 housing units will be allocated to them by the end of 2023. The second category of housing are meant for owners of homes who have title deeds, and the goverment has rented housing units for them until they receive the compensation amounts. As for the third category, they are Saudi citizens who are not beneficiaries of social security schemes while living in slums, and they do not have deeds. Thus their cases will be studied, and then they will be allotted housing. The committee noted that the cases of the three categories in the neighborhoods that will be removed during the coming period will be dealt with later. It is worth mentioning that the removal of 28 neighborhoods has been completed, and the removal of the remaining neighborhoods of Al-Montazahat, Quwaizah, Al-Adl and Al-Fadl, Umm Al-Salam and Kilo 14 Al-Shamali (North Kilo 14) is expected to be completed by the end of October.
