Housing file: Towards 'practical solutions'

The system of legislative and executive reforms recently adopted by the government in the housing file represents a strategic turning point, marking Kuwait’s transition to a new phase in achieving urban sustainability that aligns with the state’s objectives and meets citizens’ needs. The project of the decree-law concerning housing finance for housing care beneficiaries, approved by the Council of Ministers on September 22 last year, constitutes the latest legislative link in a series of government decisions aimed at ensuring the sustainable provision of dignified housing for citizens. The implementation of the housing finance law is expected to create additional financial instruments that support upcoming housing projects, reduce waiting periods for housing care beneficiaries, and stimulate the real estate sector.

The Real Estate Developer Law, which officially entered into force in early August 2025, is one of the main pillars for developing the housing sector and a vital element in achieving sustainable housing care. Its role extends to contributing to the construction of integrated urban communities that meet citizens’ needs and aspirations. The law aims to enhance the private sector’s contribution to implementing housing projects, while granting real estate developers greater freedom to offer diverse housing products tailored to the varying needs and capacities of beneficiary families and in different sizes. Furthermore, the law empowers the Public Authority for Housing Welfare to establish controls, standards, and technical specifications for buildings, suburbs, areas, and neighborhoods for each project individually, ensuring design integration and quality of life in these projects.

In a new step to advance the Real Estate Developer project, the Public Authority for Housing Welfare announced at the end of last August the qualification of 22 consortia comprising 41 Kuwaiti and international companies to participate in the next phase of procedures for launching three major housing projects, thereby supporting the acceleration of project implementation. The Government Coordinating Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of Services Related to Housing Projects, established by a Council of Ministers decision, is tasked with unifying efforts to implement all services related to housing projects, ensuring their completion according to the best sustainability standards and accelerating their implementation pace. The committee is responsible for taking all measures and procedures that expedite the completion of housing-related projects in the country, removing any obstacles that may arise, coordinating among entities to develop joint plans and mechanisms for providing, operating, and maintaining services related to existing and future residential cities and suburbs, and designating the authorities responsible for taking over buildings or services belonging to government entities, in accordance with the timelines of various housing projects and monitoring each entity’s efforts in this regard.

The committee comprises eight government entities, including the Ministries of Finance, Public Works, Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, and Transport, as well as the Kuwait Municipality, the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries Resources, and the Kuwait Credit Bank. The memorandum signed with the Chinese side aims to expand mutual cooperation and create a long-term strategic partnership in the field of housing project development, enhance capacities for developing integrated and advanced residential cities, and accelerate the provision of housing care to citizens. The Council of Ministers directly monitors the work of entities involved in housing projects and supports them to ensure their ability to fulfill their assigned commitments.

Government efforts aim to create approximately 170,000 housing units over the next ten years, distributed across several regions. These efforts place utmost importance on adopting new, more flexible, and efficient models that leverage global expertise and keep pace with economic and urban changes, while preserving the distinctiveness of Kuwaiti society and the requirements of Kuwaiti families. Kuwait has allocated two programs in its development plans to construct coherent infrastructure and create environmentally harmonious residential areas. These programs include a set of policies, foremost among them building environmentally friendly cities based on the principles of green buildings, green infrastructure, and smart technology, as well as improving land and facility management and creating sustainable alternatives to the current housing system.

Government directions focus on providing land, enhancing the administrative efficiency of housing projects, and improving implementation processes by activating the role of the private sector and ensuring the provision of high-quality living standards.