1M residential plots to be distributed across Iraq
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq will begin distributing one million residential land plots on Sept. 1, the office of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced Sunday, targeting a housing shortage estimated at up to 3 million units.
The Ministry of Planning estimates Iraq is short 2.5 million to 3 million housing units, with about 4 million people living in informal settlements that lack basic services. Population growth of 2.6 percent a year requires at least 200,000 new units annually to keep pace with demand, according to government figures.
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Al-Zaidi directed provinces that have finished allocating suitable land to begin implementation, following a meeting of the Higher Commission for Coordination among Provinces, a federal body that coordinates policy between Baghdad and Iraq's governorates. Under the plan, governors are responsible for finalizing land designation, completing changes to legal classification and master plans, and transferring ownership to municipal authorities.
Provincial authorities were instructed to prioritize sites with minimal existing construction, agricultural contracts, or legal disputes, and to favor land close to public services and inside areas marked for future urban expansion.
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The government also directed provinces to consider land set aside for new-city projects that have not yet been awarded to developers, along with sites under review by investment commissions for residential use.
Government data indicate that 65 percent of state housing projects were delayed or abandoned as of 2023. The government has launched 16 residential-city projects that it says aim to cut the housing shortage by roughly half by 2030, through partnerships with private developers, housing-loan programs, and expanded urban infrastructure.
