Bahrain Accelerates Housing Projects

In line with the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to accelerate housing projects and deliver 50,000 new residential units, Her Excellency Amina bint Ahmed Al Remeihi, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning and Chairperson of the Housing Bank, held an extensive meeting with heads and representatives of real estate development companies and commercial banks in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The meeting focused on expanding cooperation to provide social housing services, diversify housing and financing options, and meet citizens’ residential needs, reinforcing the strategic partnership between the public and private sectors.

During the meeting, Minister Al Remeihi emphasized the government’s commitment, under the leadership of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to strengthen private sector partnerships as a cornerstone of sustainable development, in line with the priorities of the Government Program (2023–2026). She highlighted that this approach enhances the stability of the real estate sector, diversifies available housing and financing solutions, and improves both the efficiency and quality of housing services.

The Minister outlined that housing finance programs and the Government Land Development Rights Program form two key pillars in providing social housing. These initiatives have offered citizens more flexible options and significantly reduced waiting times.

Minister Al Remeihi also highlighted updates on the “Tamooh” program, describing it as a strategic pathway supporting ownership apartment projects. The program provides flexible financing solutions, allowing citizens to acquire property according to their current capabilities, with opportunities to upgrade or move to larger units as their financial situation improves.

The Government Land Development Rights Program was credited with accelerating housing project execution by leveraging government land in partnership with developers to deliver high-quality units at subsidized prices. The program’s initial successes are expected to encourage further expansion in the coming phase.

Regarding the off-plan sales component of the program, the Minister explained that developers can sell units immediately after project tendering and contractual procedures, enabling citizens to select their unit early. This approach provides proactive housing finance for buyers while ensuring developers have sufficient liquidity and security to complete and market projects. The first successful off-plan project, “Danat Sand”, comprising 47 residential units, demonstrates the program’s effectiveness.

On the Private Land Development Rights Program, Minister Al Remeihi said it supports real estate companies in delivering projects aligned with citizens’ housing finance values. The program is set to launch its first housing project soon, opening broader opportunities for private sector participation and offering citizens diverse housing solutions.

She concluded by emphasizing that public-private partnership programs stimulate the real estate market, strengthen the financial and banking sector, and transform social housing from a basic service into a key driver of comprehensive national development.

Engineer Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Khayat, CEO of the Urban Planning and Development Authority, highlighted the role of urban planning in accelerating approvals and ensuring integrated development across all regions of the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Taleb, Director General of the Housing Bank, stressed the bank’s ongoing efforts to update the banking sector on financing programs, policies, and initiatives to expedite funding for citizens and support real estate companies through digital services like the “Bayti” platform, which continues to expand available projects and banking offers.

The meeting concluded with developers and banks reaffirming the importance of direct communication with the Ministry, strengthening joint efforts to implement innovative initiatives that align with national housing goals, and agreeing to continue coordination meetings to achieve these objectives.