President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi decreed the increase of residential housing units in the first and second phase of the social housing program to 600,000 units to meet the citizens’ demand, Al Mal News reported.

Al Sisi also approved the Minister of Housing’s suggestion to offer 6,000 units to lease to low-income earners, reported Ahram News.

The decree came in a meeting held between the President, Minister of Housing Mostafa Madbouly, and Head of the Engineering Authority Kamel Al Wazir on 26 July.

The first phase of the social housing project will create 256,000 units, to be delivered by the end of 2016. A total of 180,000 units has been completed so far.

The second phase of the social housing project will see 275,000 units completed in mid-2017, which would bring the total of first and second stage to 531,000 units.

Al Sisi stressed the importance of social housing and providing alternative homes for slum dwellers and reiterated the state’s commitment to providing affordable housing, especially for the youth.