$560m projects unveiled under Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme

29/09/2025 03:56 AST

The UAE has rolled out a wide range of housing initiatives for citizens since the start of 2025 as part of Year of Community, aimed at strengthening family stability and improving living standards.

The projects underscore the government's commitment to easing access to housing support, diversifying funding sources and shortening waiting times.

The Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme issued 2,971 housing approvals from January until the third quarter of 2025, with a total value of AED2.06 billion ($560 million).

These approvals included 522 grants under the directives of President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, amounting to AED355 million.

In addition, 595 approvals were issued for government housing loans with a total value of AED246.2 million, along with 24 approvals for government housing grants or benefits worth AED19 million, and 1,830 housing finance approvals totalling AED1.449 billion.

The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, represented by the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, launched an initiative to secure financing for beneficiaries of housing loans, particularly senior citizens, with comprehensive insurance coverage extended to age 95, offering long-term financial protection for Emirati families.

Abu Dhabi announced agreements to develop 13 new residential communities providing over 40,000 homes and plots at a cost of AED106 billion.

The agreements include the construction of 25,244 housing units for Emiratis over the next five years, at a total cost of AED94 billion. Additionally, 14,876 residential plots will be developed at AED12 billion.

Ongoing projects include the West Baniyas Housing Project and the Yas Canal Housing Project, bringing total housing benefits under construction to 45,000 homes and plots, due for completion in 2029.

The emirate has also introduced a community support subsidy of AED250,000 to be automatically and retroactively deducted from the total loan amount for all housing loans totalling AED1.75 million. It also extended the loan repayment periods to up to 30 years.

Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport has launched the Value Housing Programme to bolster versatility in the emirate's real estate market.

In 2025 alone, two housing benefit packages worth AED11.38 billion were approved for 7,218 citizens.

Dubai, meanwhile, announced AED5.4 billion in housing projects in January, including 3,004 new homes. It later approved an additional AED2 billion package for more than 1,100 units across Wadi Al-Amardi, Al Aweer, Hatta, and Oud Al Muteena.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment provided 3,027 housing support packages worth AED1.725 billion in H1 2025. In May, Dubai signed an agreement to deliver 17,000 affordable housing units for key sector workers.

Sharjah approved its first batch of 2,000 beneficiaries for land grants in February, split between residential and investment plots. In July, it approved a new AED335 million housing support package for 431 families in urgent need, with ready-built homes provided as full grants.

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