President considers shortening or even dropping 5-year Male’ residency requirement for land schemes

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu says he will consider shortening the five years of registered residency in Male’ that is required to be eligible for land under state housing schemes in the capital, or even dropping the residency requirement altogether.

He made the remark during a community meeting on Sunday night with constituents from the Henveiru district.

During the meeting held at the Kalaafanu School hall, one participant expressed concern over the minimum five-year Male’ residency requirement for land schemes.

The woman explained how she and her six siblings had been born and living in Male’, and later changed their residency to Addu after their mother failed to inherit their family home. She said that this made then ineligible for the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ housing scheme run by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration.

She said that they changed their residency back to Male’ in 2022, but the five-year residency requirement in the housing policy announced by President Muizzu’s administration last month again disqualifies them from applying for land under future housing schemes.

Responding to this, President Muizzu provided assurance his administration will address the issue.

“We will consider this and provide the best solution to this. We could shorten the duration. Or even drop the criterion altogether. We will explore the changes that can be made,” he said.

There are two categories for issuance of land from Male’ area under the new housing policy; registered residents of Male’, and registered residents of other islands who reside in Male’. The minimum requirement for registered residency in Male’ is five years, while the minimum requirement for the latter category is 15 years.