UAE: Housing rules to be tightened for singles in Sharjah

Sharjah authorities will be tightening housing regulations for single individuals who are living in the emirate's residential neighbourhoods, it was announced on Tuesday.

The directive comes as the Sharjah Executive Council (SEC) held its weekly meeting chaired by Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairman of the Executive Council, according to Arabic newspaper Al Khaleej.

The council reviewed a recent report detailing the housing status of single residents living in the emirate's neighbourhoods and what the current rules are. It also looked into the social, economic, and security impact of the situation.

Relevant government agencies shared its views on singles' housing and offered proposals on how procedures can be streamlined and improved.

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The executive council then directed to "tighten control" while entities are working on new legislations that can meet current needs and demand.

In Sharjah, certain residential areas are only for families — and authorities routinely conduct inspections to ensure that no bachelors are living in these areas. In recent years, thousands of single men were evicted from their accommodations for violating rules.

During the SEC meeting, the authorities also discussed a number of issues, including the development of new services; a follow-up on ongoing projects; the increasing demand for green spaces; and the emirate's sustanability drive in the tourism sector, among others.