Latest news with #AmnaAlRumaihi
Daily Tribune
19-03-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Private sector to build 8,000 houses as Bahrain cuts waiting list
Bahrain's housing policies will keep shifting to match demand, with rules on who qualifies and how homes are paid for regularly reviewed, the Housing Minister, Her Excellency Amna Al Rumaihi, told Parliament yesterday. Private developers are playing a growing role in the government's efforts to cut waiting times, with nearly 8,000 homes planned under joint schemes. Around 3,700 will be available to buy, while more than 4,000 will be built through agreements with private firms under the 'Government Land Development Programme'. 'We are working closely with private developers, who bring the know-how and resources to help meet the growing need for housing,' Al Rumaihi said. 'This approach means we can provide homes more quickly and give people more choice.' The backlog of applications has fallen by more than 17 per cent over two years, dropping from 55,000 in early 2022 to 27,000 today. The number of new requests continues to climb, but the figures show movement. 'We are making headway, and the work goes on to cut the numbers further while handling fresh applications,' she said. A BD800 million housing budget has been set for the next two years, the largest to date. Building work is progressing in Salman Town, Khalifa Town, Al Ramli, and Al Hidd, with extra funds lined up for further expansion. The ministry has also put more focus on giving people housing choices that suit their needs. More than 8,000 families have taken up immediate housing options since 2022, with over 8 per cent coming from the waiting list. 'We are making it simpler for people to choose the kind of home they want, where they want it, and what size suits them,' Al Rumaihi said.
Daily Tribune
18-03-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Ministry's spending plans include building more than 3,700 freehold homes
Housing and Urban Planning Minister, Her Excellency Amna Al Rumaihi, has laid out the ministry's spending plans for the coming cycle. This will include building more than 3,700 freehold homes in existing housing developments and over 4,000 units in partnership with the private sector through the Lands Right Development programme. They will be spread across 11 sites. This comes as the waiting list for government housing has shrunk by 17 per cent in two years, dropping from 55,000 to 47,000 requests, despite a steady stream of new applications. Al Rumaihi pointed to immediate housing schemes, financing programmes, and the Mazaya scheme as the driving forces behind the reduction. More than 8,000 housing requests have been met through these schemes since their introduction, she said, adding that they will continue to play a role in the ministry's plans. The budget for housing projects over the next two years is among the largest the ministry has seen, she said, and reflects the backing given to the sector. Target numbers A 10-year plan was set in motion in early 2022 to meet target numbers, she added. The ministry has also introduced immediate services to shorten waiting times, even as new applications come in by the thousands each year. With these schemes and other state-backed housing options, waiting lists have already seen a marked drop. The ministry, Al Rumaihi said, will press ahead with plans to meet demand. She added that housing work goes beyond building and funding homes, with different partnerships being explored with the private sector to meet changing needs. Housing services will continue to be reviewed to keep pace with expectations, she said, and the budget earmarked for the sector will help to push things further.
Gulf Insider
17-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
BD322m Housing Push To Deliver 4,321 Homes By 2028
A BD322 million building drive is set to bring 4,321 homes across Bahrain, with the largest project, a 1,269-unit expansion in Sitra, scheduled for completion in early 2028. Housing and Urban Planning Minister, Her Excellency Amna Al Rumaihi, provided an update on both finished and ongoing works, detailing projects in Madinat Salman, Hidd, and Khalifa City. Al Rumaihi confirmed that 303 houses and 1,362 flats have been handed over in Madinat Salman, alongside 1,077 units in Sitra. Also read: Higher Excise Taxes On Tobacco, Soft Drinks, And Energy Drinks In New Budget
Daily Tribune
28-02-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Budget set for 6,000 housing finance requests in 2025
More than 6,000 housing finance requests will be covered in 2025, with funds now set aside to keep the scheme running. The waiting list for ownership services has dropped to around 47,600, down from over 55,000 in 2022, according to Housing and Urban Planning Minister, Her Excellency Amna Al Rumaihi. The list includes 1,295 applications for residential plots and 1,697 for ownership apartments, while roughly 33,900 applicants receive the housing allowance. In a written response to MP Abdulwahid Qarata, the minister attributed the drop to a mix of factors — chief among them the growing shift to housing finance options and the expansion of private-sector partnerships. Some applicants waiting since 2004 have now been offered alternatives, while the rollout of modern-generation apartment blocks in Salman City has helped clear hundreds of cases in recent months. Ownership Housing finance has become a major plank in the ministry's approach, offering quicker routes to home ownership. The service has been broadened with the addition of 'Tas'heel' and the 'New Mazaya' category, both aimed at easing access to funding. With these in place, the ministry expects to process more than 6,000 financing requests next year. Demand for these schemes has been strong since they launched in 2022. Finance options Eight in ten people taking up finance options have switched over from the standard housing queue. By the end of 2024, over 8,000 applications had been approved through financing routes.
