Housing Minister: 17,000 families are living in dire conditions in Male'

Housing Minister Mohamed Aslam has said that there were around 17,000 families living in the capital Male' City in dire need of housing.

The Minister today, sent his answers to five questions posed to him by MP for West Henveiru Hassan Latheef regarding housing units planned and schedule for the completion of these projects. The Minister also presented a paper regarding the condition and standards of housing in Male' City.

The Minister said that there were 5,122 people living in the capital in dire conditions. This was 37 percent, said the Minister.

"We don't believe that every family living in registered lands of 600 feet where buildings are constructed, as living adequately." said the Minister, who estimated that around 17,073 were living in such spaces.

The Minister said that there were around 1,336 natives of Male' City who were in need of Council housing, while 3,137 non-native residents also required council housing. 2,138 native residents of Male' City required affordable housing while 2,916 non-native residents required affordable housing. This was calculated based on the income of these individuals, said the Minister who did not specify whether this was an estimate or how the calculations were made. 

Current housing projects underway include the 6,720 Hiyaa Housing units, 3848 housing units by state-owned companies, 1344 CMEC housing units as well as 2,375 housing units constructed by private parties.

Most housing projects to be complete by 2023

Today, the Minister also said that it was estimated that most of the housing projects of the current administration would be completed by 2023.

The Minister said that 10,294 housing units planned by the current administration were still not commenced. The Minister did, however, provide the dates for when these projects are to be commenced when the projects could be completed.

• FDC Affordable 4,000 housing units: To commence on November 17, 2020, and finish by November 2023.
• CHC High-end 1,155 housing units: To commence on June 2021 and finish by December 2023.
• Premium villa 78 housing units: To commence on January 2023 and finish by January 2025.
• SDFC Sino-Haido Affordable 1,700 housing units: To commence on October 2, 2020, and finish by September 22, 2022.
• Aminadhee High-end 100 housing units: To commence on October 2020 and finish by December 2021
• JVMIPNRC 162 housing units: To commence on December 2020 and finish by 2022.
• HDC Council Housing 2,000 housing units: To commence on January 2021 and finish by 2023.
• HDC High-end 355 housing units: To commence on January 2021 and finish by January 2023.
• Mixed-use residential 744 housing units: To commence on January 2022 and finish by January 2024.

The Minister said that these were details of how the government's planned 10,294 housing units were distributed. Two-room apartments at these units would not be smaller than 650 feet while three-room apartments would not be smaller than 900 feet.

The Minister also said that 1,474 plots of land are to be sold for natives of Male' City for land ownership. They include land from Hulhumale' phase 2 and Gulhifalhu. However, a date for the sale of these pots of land is yet to be announced.