The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing is the entity responsible for the urban planning of cities and villages and organizing housing-related tasks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its responsibilities include facilitating a balanced and sustainable housing environment, providing various housing and financing solutions to enable Saudi families to own their first home, issuing permits, and providing basic infrastructure for beautifying and developing municipal and rural areas. The ministry also aims to humanize Saudi cities by planning and enhancing their aesthetic levels, as well as managing services to maintain environmental cleanliness, and health, and enhance health supervision.
History of Ministry of Municipalities and Housing
The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing was established in 1975, with Prince Majed Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the first Minister during the reign of King Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The ministry operates from its main headquarters in the capital, Riyadh.
On April 30, 2003, a Royal Decree was issued abolishing the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (formerly the Ministry of Housing) and transferred its duties to the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs. On March 25, 2011, a Royal Order was issued to establish the Ministry of Housing, then on January 24, 2021, a Royal Order was issued merging the Ministry of Housing with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and renaming it as the "Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing". It remained under this name until the Order of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was issued to rename the name of the ministry to be "The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing".
Programs and initiatives of the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing
The ministry has launched several initiatives and programs in the municipal and housing domains, aimed at achieving distinguished services for smart and innovative digital cities, including:
Municipal initiatives
The 'Balady' portal: Developed by the ministry to be the national gateway supporting the municipal community, it includes all electronic services that assist in submitting online applications for obtaining licenses, in addition to informational services that help beneficiaries make related decisions, contributing to improved satisfaction levels with municipal sector entities.
Municipal Investment Gateway 'Furas': Launched by the ministry to provide a unified database, it becomes the main reference for investors seeking investment opportunities presented by municipalities, which have an impact on the development of cities and villages of the Kingdom. Its features include ease of searching and viewing various opportunities, services provided through the website or smartphone applications, offering diverse investment opportunities in their activity, size, and locations, and the ability to purchase the terms booklet and sign contracts electronically.
Urban Landscape Improvement Initiative: Established by the ministry to enhance the quality of municipal services provided in Saudi cities.
'Bahja Project': It aims to transform white areas into vibrant spaces and develop parks and urban interventions in cities and residential areas, improving the quality of life and well-being of residents.
Housing initiatives
In the housing sector, the ministry has launched a number of programs including: the 'Housing Program' aimed at providing housing solutions for citizens and facilitating the decision to own their first home, the Developer Services Center 'Etmam' which aims to facilitate the procedures of real estate development activities, and the 'Cooperative Housing Program' to organize and stimulate the cooperative associations sector with housing purposes, the 'Idle Land Fees Program', and the 'Sustainable Building' program to secure a number of services that contribute to the sustainability of residential units, and the 'Developmental Housing' initiative aimed at providing housing units for the neediest families in the society covered by the care of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development 'Social Security', and the 'Modern Construction' initiative which works on establishing the fundamental pillars to support the transition from traditional to modern construction, and the 'Jood Housing' initiative to give the community the opportunity to participate in providing aid for the housing charity cover in cooperation with 121 charitable organizations, and the initiative 'Bearing the VAT for the First House'.
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