Egypt’s new urban development plan does not only comprise implementing new cities from scratch, but rather extends to reconstructing homes for the middle- and low-income segments. This is evident by the new presidential initiative “Housing for all Egyptians”.

With the aim to build 500,000 residential units across Egypt, the initiative has a significant impact on the Egyptian urban scene, especially with the rising numbers in population and a growth rate of approximately 2% per year. Thus, Egypt is faced with an urbanization crisis, as many of its cities find themselves increasingly overcrowded. Egypt’s housing crisis affects millions across the country; hence such initiatives would help at easing the pressure on overcrowded cities.

Invest-Gate exhibits the latest updates of the initiative and its effect on the population growth in Egypt, in addition to its pivotal role in providing the low- and middle-income segment with  suitable homes.

 The On-ground Initiative

The “Housing for All Egyptians” project came in response to President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s directive to provide suitable units for all citizens, as the project allows them to pay the cost of unit without any charges for the plot of land. 

The initiative aims at establishing 500,000 housing units in major cities and governorate capitals. Meanwhile, the government chose distinguished premium locations for the project’s buildings in the new cities, not to mention assigning the design to experienced consultancy offices.

“Housing for All Egyptians” aims to provide about 30,000 housing units as a first stage in new cities nationwide. This initiative has a different approach as it allows various citizens to get a suitable house with good financial support.

As reported by Al-Ahram news website, what distinguishes the “Housing for all Egyptians” project is that it includes the segments, whose conditions have not been applied to the social housing project whether their income exceeds the maximum limit or other conditions. The first stage of the “Housing for all Egyptians” project will extend to cover the entire republic.

The area of the unit also will be 110 sqm, while the area of social housing units ranges between 70 and 90 sqm.

 Social Impact 

This initiative is supposed to upgrade the quality of houses and provide a large segment with decent homes. The United Nations’ (UN) website reveals the importance of such projects. The UN points that the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities prioritized housing accessibility as one of the most important and advanced issues among the list of social and economic priorities. The ministry has taken prominent steps to define the responsibilities of the state and policy framework in a way that addresses the current housing problems and fulfills the hopes of the Egyptian people to access adequate housing for all.

Based on the analytical results of the housing profile, the strategy was prepared over several years with the participation of various governmental, academic, research, and community groups; and by the guidelines of the global housing strategy and the recommendations of the Arab strategy for housing and urban development. The strategy also comes in line with global and regional requirements, including (the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, the New Urban Agenda, Egypt Vision 2030, and the National Strategic Plan for Urban Development 2050). The strategy is also characterized by a great deal of flexibility related to practical implementation.

On a similar vein, Fathallah Fawzy, founder of MENA Group and vice-chairman of Egypt Businessmen’s Association (EBA) says to Invest-Gate that such initiative will help at decreasing the population in the crowded cities. “We have to thank the current political leadership for this effort and influence to support most of the citizens financially to find a suitable place to live at,” he elaborates.

He further adds that this is not the first project that the government implements to provide citizens with good houses at suitable prices, as the government works hard to provide citizens with decent good priced units.

Bottom line, the “Housing for all Egyptians” initiative is one of the good endeavors that the government attempts to implement recently to upgrade the quality of life for all Egyptians.