| Author(s) | Ali S. O. Bahammam |
| Affiliation | Department of Architecture and Building Science, College of Architecture and Planning, King Saud University. |
| Title | Affordable Housing: |
| Source | Journal of King Saud University. Architecture & Planning. Volume 15, No 1. (2003/1423) |
| Abstract | The Saudi housing polices in the five years development plans emphasize on enabling all Saudi households to have access to adequate residential accommodation at reasonable costs. However, without government subsidy (as grants of residential plots and/or loans from the Real Estate Development Fund –REDF) many households can not afford the market price for owning a villa (the most prevalent type of contemporary dwellings). This research aims to extract criteria and principals for a future alternative of affordable housing, which fulfill the Saudi households’ needs and match their financial capability. Many international affordable housing experiences were discussed and the factors, which make them come through, were studied. Moreover, the most important factors were presented and discussed in details. The study shows that there are a group of criteria, which efficiently makes affordable housing within reach for a higher percentage of households. Some of these criteria have an explicit effect at the architectural and urban design stage, while the effects of others are noticeable at the construction stage and/or through the availability and accessibility to a variety of financing options. Referring to these criteria can help those who are interested in the field of housing (i.e., architects, planers, developers, financiers and policy makers), to offer various affordable housing solutions that make spending for owning a dwelling not hindering other essential household’s spending. |
