Dubai to unveil rapid-build homes for Emiratis: Six months instead of 18, and about 30% cheaper

Dubai: The CEO of the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment, Mohammed Hassan Al Shehhi, revealed the development of the citizens' housing system through options that go beyond the allocation of land and traditional loans, to include providing ready-made homes within integrated complexes, and taking over the construction work on behalf of the beneficiaries. He noted that a surprise will be announced soon, which is in the form of models for rapid construction that allow the completion of the home within six months instead of 18 months, and at a cost of about 30% less, which reduces the financial and time burdens on citizens. He stressed that the foundation is working to provide multiple options that suit the needs and circumstances of citizens, noting that the Al Khawaneej Residences project, which includes 1,050 residences, has witnessed remarkable demand, prompting a large number of citizens to change their requests from obtaining land to ready-made residences, due to the integrated residential environment that the project provides, and the opportunity for members of the same family, including fathers, sons, and brothers, to be close to each other. In detail, Al-Shehhi said in an interview with the Arab Cast platform that the institution achieved first place in employee and customer happiness for four years, stressing that the nature of its work imposes a special responsibility on it, as it is a service institution that deals directly with citizens and provides its services to its community and people, which makes housing a top priority for it. He pointed out that there is more than one way to obtain housing, as the citizen can benefit from the grant or loan allocated for the land, and then undertake to build his house himself. The unified forms service is also provided, under which the institution undertakes the construction procedures for beneficiaries of grants and loans, by appointing the consultant and contractor and supervising the implementation stages, until the citizen receives the keys to his house. Al-Shehhi said the time required to build a villa can be reduced from about 18 months to six months, with a cost reduction of about 30%. Picture credit: Supplied A third option is ready-made residential complexes, where the institution undertakes the construction of an integrated complex, so that the citizen does not have to get into the details of dealing with contractors and consultants or bear the burdens of following up on construction work, but rather obtains a ready-made home within an integrated residential environment. He stated that the Al Khawaneej project, which includes 1,050 homes, represents one of the most prominent residential complexes implemented by the Foundation, and has been well received by citizens. He pointed out that a large number of them changed their requests from obtaining land to obtaining ready-made housing, after they experienced the advantages that the project provides, especially the possibility of children, parents, and siblings living in one residential area. He added that the foundation takes this aspect into account when allocating housing, as it considers applications, names, and family ties, and seeks to group members of the same family in nearby locations whenever possible, in order to strengthen family bonds and give families the opportunity to live close to each other. In order to accelerate the completion of housing and reduce its cost, Al-Shehhi revealed the allocation of land and the formation of a specialised team for rapid construction, which studies the models and materials available in the markets, and looks for the best solutions that achieve speed of completion and reduce the cost, noting that the institution is working on new models that it intends to announce soon. He explained that this initiative targets individual cases, so that the time required to build a villa can be reduced from about 18 months to six months, with a cost reduction of about 30%, which represents an important shift in reducing the time and financial burden on the citizen, and accelerating his move to his home. He explained that customer requests vary even when they apply for the same service, clarifying that dealing with each case requires listening to the person and understanding their circumstances, and not being satisfied with applying a uniform procedure to everyone. He said that a citizen may come to the institution with a complaint, so it is necessary to contain him and listen to him, and not to be satisfied with the summary that the employee may convey about the problem, as he sometimes makes sure to listen to the applicant himself, so that the whole picture becomes clear, and a solution can be sought that suits his circumstances. He added that the organisation does not rely solely on electronic platforms and personal interviews, but also organises meetings in residential neighbourhoods to listen to the residents. It also makes sure, before starting to implement an