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Zayed Programme Applicants to Get Houses Next Year

ABU DHABI — Processing of all applications submitted to the Shaikh Zayed Housing Programme (SZHP) until 2007 will be completed in 2009 and approval of houses for deserving applicants among UAE nationals will be given in a record time.

This was announced by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Public Works and President of the SZHP, in his opening speech at the first Housing Conference held at the Armed Forces Officers Club in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

The SZHP has adopted a very ambitious programme for building modern residential complexes, well designed, and equipped with all facilities and services, in collaboration with the local and federal bodies concerned, he said.

Representatives of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UNHSP), known as Habitat), and an elite group of housing experts from all over the world are participating in the conference that will end on Wednesday.

New electronic standards will be adopted to guarantee a transparent and fair distribution of housing assistance to nationals.

There will be no room for human interference.

All the information and entries of applicants in terms of income, family members, properties and other data will be keyed in the central computer system and each applicant’s case will be given marks, Shaikh Hamdan said. Applicants to get priority will be decided in view of their total marks.

The humanitarian cases of widows, divorced women, special needs people and applicants living on social aids will be given top priority, he added.

The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has always insisted on total development, including housing in remote areas.

The decision of the UAE government presided over by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to order the construction of 40,000 residential units and a further support to the SZHP was in line with this, he said.

Abu Dhabi has successfully combined the glorious past and bright future and enhanced its people’s safety, security and glory by giving a boost to the principles of social justice, said Ali Majed Shabu, Head of the UNHSP office.

The development strategies based on integrated local services and regional and international competition effectively boost national economy, create better employment opportunities and fill poverty gaps.

All segments of the society are fruitfully merged leading to a bright model of social justice, he noted.

Meanwhile, the conference shed light on the challenges facing the ministries of housing and the bodies concerned in implementing and financing housing projects. Providing poor families with housing, securing houses at affordable prices and adopting more comprehensive housing strategies were stressed.

The concept of continuous urbanisation, leading strategies and policies in terms of housing to meet the demand of increasing population were proposed as well.

New creative financing methods are to be adopted in line with the experiences of Arab countries, particularly the development partnerships concluded with the private sector and social organisations.

adel@khaleejtimes.com