The National Program for the Development of Group Housing for Individuals stressed the need for establishments that include (20) workers or more to correct the conditions of workers’ housing through one of the two approved regulatory paths, within the efforts aimed at regulating workers’ housing and improving the quality of the residential environment, which contributes to enhancing the quality of life and improving the urban landscape in the Kingdom’s cities.
The program explained that the first path is to issue a collective housing license for the building belonging to the facility through the “Baladi” platform, after fulfilling the approved health, technical and municipal requirements, while the second path allows the option of contracting with previously licensed collective housing units, which ensures the provision of regular housing for workers in approved buildings without the need for the facility to manage private residential facilities.
The program indicated that adhering to one of the two paths contributes to regulating the distribution of workers’ housing within urban areas, reducing irregular uses of housing, in addition to raising the level of compliance with municipal and health requirements, which positively impacts the safety of the residential environment and the quality of life in cities.
The program urged establishments to take the initiative to rectify worker housing conditions through the available legal channels, clarifying that failure to do so via the approved options may result in the application of the legal procedures outlined in the guidance manual, including the recording of violations and the suspension of certain government services associated with the establishment. The program explained that these measures are part of a comprehensive effort to develop a more organized model for worker housing in the Kingdom, which will support the efficiency of the housing market, enhance urban planning, and promote the sustainability of cities in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing heads the National Program for the Development of Group Housing for Individuals, and its membership includes (the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, the Authority for Special Economic Cities and Zones, and the Public Health Authority “Weqaya”).
