Latest news with #PublicAuthorityforHousingWelfare
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Business
- Kuwait Times
PAHW delivers over 44,000 services in May; projects exceed targets
KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) announced on Thursday that its Citizen Services Department delivered a total of 44,289 services during the month of May, with 24,847 services processed via the authority's electronic platforms and the 'Sahel' unified government application. Additionally, 17,397 inquiries were handled through telephone and chatbot systems, while 2,045 services were provided through in-person reception centers. Deputy Director General for Public Relations and Development Affairs and official PAHW spokesperson Omar Al-Ruwaih reviewed the Authority's operational achievements in May, highlighting notable progress in several housing and infrastructure projects. He revealed that the completion rates for three infrastructure contracts and a main roads contract in the South Sabah Al-Ahmad project have significantly surpassed contractual expectations. The main roads contract in the area has reached 50.82 percent completion, exceeding the contractual rate by 6.15 percent. Meanwhile, the first infrastructure contract, which serves 7,623 plots, recorded a completion rate of 9.84 percent. The second infrastructure contract, covering 6,189 plots, achieved a 15.78 percent completion rate—8.56 percent above the target—while the third contract posted a 5.48 percent completion rate. Regarding the affordable housing initiative, Al-Ruwaih stated that the Authority has commenced work on six contracts, four of which are currently in the preparatory phase. The first contract, which includes the construction of 1,568 houses, has achieved a 5.44 percent progress rate, ahead of schedule. Similarly, the second contract has recorded a 3.4 percent completion rate. In South Saad Al-Abdullah City, Al-Ruwaih noted that three infrastructure contracts have entered the preparatory phase, covering work on 23,551 plots. The main roads contract for this area has reached a completion rate of 35.88 percent, outperforming the contractual benchmark by 21.4 percent. On the status of public building projects, Al-Ruwaih confirmed that the Authority is currently overseeing the implementation of 217 public buildings across seven major projects. These include 92 buildings under construction in Mutlaa City, 74 in the affordable housing project, 31 in South Abdullah Al-Mubarak City, 17 in Sabah Al-Ahmad City, and one building each in Jaber Al-Ahmad City, Saad Al-Abdullah City, and South Khaitan. Al-Ruwaih also revealed that PAHW signed four consultancy contracts last month. These include a contract for managing and supervising infrastructure works for 7,623 plots in suburbs N5, N7, N9, and N10 in the South Sabah Al-Ahmad project. Additional contracts were signed for infrastructure works covering 6,189 units in suburbs N4, N6, and N8, as well as 6,568 units in suburbs N1, N2, N3, and N11 of the same project. A separate contract was signed for the supervision of roadworks and infrastructure in the South Saad Al-Abdullah City residential project. Concluding the report, Al-Ruwaih noted that the Authority issued 32,303 'To Whom It May Concern' certificates to citizens confirming the completion of building permit procedures in three key areas: Al-Mutlaa, South Khaitan, and South Abdullah Al-Mubarak.- KUNA
Arab Times
5 days ago
- Arab Times
Major Legal Victory for Kuwaiti Women in Property Rights Case
KUWAIT CITY, June 15: In a ruling considered a major victory for women, the Court of Appeals upheld the ruling declaring a Kuwaiti woman entitled to take the necessary measures to obtain a residential plot ownership document -- shared equally between her and her husband, without requiring the latter's signature. The court also upheld the ruling that she could sign a loan agreement with a full mortgage on the property as security for the debt. The plaintiff's lawyer, Attorney Ali Al-Ali, presented facts related to the case. He challenged the director general of the Public Authority for Housing Welfare, assistant undersecretary for Real Estate Registration and Documentation at the Ministry of Justice, and the Kuwait Credit Bank director. He requested a ruling in favor of his client, stating that she has the right to take the necessary measures to obtain a plot ownership document -- shared equally between her and her husband, without requiring his signature. Ali Al-Ali pointed out that Housing Care Law grants the wife the right to the document and does not require the husband's approval to obtain it. He explained that his client was the wife of the first defendant with a valid legal contract, and they had earlier submitted a request for housing care to the justice agent, and the plot was received, and that she and her husband completed all the procedures, conditions and controls necessary to obtain the ownership document. However, the husband stopped completing those procedures without any legal basis or justification in order to deprive her of her right to the plot, despite her need to secure housing. The court said in its reasoning that it did not see any justification for what the husband did, so his refusal reveals intent to harm the plaintiff, and that he abused his right. Accordingly, the court granted the plaintiff's request. Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff
Kuwait Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Kuwait Times
Gulf Housing Week focuses on sustainable development
Deputy Director General for Public Relations and Development, Official Spokesperson for the Foundation, Omar Al-Ruwaih KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) announced that Kuwait will host the third edition of the Gulf Housing Week from May 18 to 22, under the theme 'Real Estate Development for Sustainable Housing.' Deputy Director General for Public Relations and Development and official spokesperson of PAHW, Omar Al-Ruwaih, said in a press statement that the event comes as part of ongoing efforts by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to strengthen regional cooperation in the housing sector. The initiative aims to enhance integration, address key housing challenges, and promote the exchange of expertise to support sustainability and improve quality of life across the region. Al-Ruwaih noted that the event will feature a wide range of activities, including panel discussions, a specialized exhibition, and the second edition of the Gulf Housing Hackathon, which will see the participation of male and female students from across the GCC. He emphasized that the week's agenda is designed to foster collaboration, encourage best practices in housing and urban development, and highlight the latest technologies supporting sustainable housing solutions. The event will commence with the 47th meeting of the GCC Technical Committee on Housing Affairs. The following day will see the official opening ceremony and the inauguration of the accompanying exhibition. On May 20, the 26th meeting of senior housing officials will be held, culminating on May 22 with the 23rd meeting of GCC Ministers Responsible for Housing Affairs. Al-Ruwaih stressed that Gulf Housing Week seeks to encourage public-private partnerships, promote innovative and sustainable housing initiatives, and contribute to the development of integrated, safe residential environments for GCC citizens. A series of panel sessions will take place over three days, covering topics such as real estate development prospects in Kuwait, public-private partnerships in PAHW projects, and financing strategies for sustainable housing. Discussions will also address smart applications in Gulf housing projects, technological innovations, and solutions to housing challenges faced by the region. — KUNA
Arab Times
17-05-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Kuwait fast-tracks new cities buildout
KUWAIT CITY, May 17: The Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) has achieved remarkable progress in implementing major housing city projects, confirming its progress over the approved timetables through the acceleration of work in various major housing city contracts. The newspaper obtained a copy of statistics issued by the Implementation Sector, showing that the number of public buildings under construction as of April reached 217. These buildings include 92 in Mutlaa City, 74 in the Affordable Housing Project, 31 in South Abdullah Al-Mubarak Project, 17 in Sabah Al-Ahmad City, and one each in Jaber Al- Ahmad, Saad Al-Abdullah and West Abdullah Al-Mubarak. The statistics indicated that two supervisory contracts were signed to provide consultancy services and supervise the construction, completion and maintenance of public buildings in residential suburbs N1, N3, N2 and N4 in the Mutlaa City project. The South Sabah Al-Ahmad Project has recorded remarkable progress, with the actual completion rate of the main roads contract reaching 48.63 percent -- exceeding the contractual rate of 40.88 percent. The infrastructure contract for 7,623 plots has an actual completion rate of 9.03 percent, compared to a contractual rate of 4.94 percent. The second contract for 6,189 plots was achieved an actual completion rate of 9.55 percent, compared to a contractual rate of 4.75 percent. The third infrastructure contract for 6,568 plots achieved an actual completion rate of 4.7 percent, compared to a contractual rate of one percent. In the South Saad Al-Abdullah Project, the actual completion rate of the main roads contract reached 32 percent, compared to a contractual rate of 12.3 percent. Meanwhile, the infrastructure contracts for the plots are still being prepared. As for the affordable housing project, the actual completion rate for the first and second contracts reached three percent, compared to the contractual rate of 0.01 percent. Infrastructure contracts for the remaining homes are still being prepared. Statistics confirmed the commitment of the State Ministry for Housing to expedite the completion of housing projects and daily monitoring of implementation works to ensure project completion before the deadline. The statistics indicated that the number of housing applications reached 101,604 in April.
Arab Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Kuwait's Al Ahmadi sees strongest rental growth
KUWAIT CITY, May 12: Al Ahmadi apartments showed the strongest 6-month rental growth among governorates in Kuwait, with average rents for one-bedroom and two-bedroom units increasing by 6% and 10.9% over the last half-year to Q1 2025, according to Kuwait-based prop-tech company Sakan. Sakan's data, which is based on its online listings database and excludes properties promoted offline, showed mixed results for the apartment market, with average rents of areas near the capital softening over the last three and six months leading to Q1. In Hawally Governorate, the average rents of 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom-listed flats decreased by 7%, 3%, and 1% respectively when compared to Q4 2024. Al Asimah's 2BR and 3BR average rents decreased by double digits. From a 6-month perspective, Hawally's and Al Asimah's rental markets have both seen downward performance. Hawally apartment rents for 1BR and 4BR apartments have remained the same, while those of 2BR and 3BR have declined by 2% and 4% respectively. Al Asimah apartments have shown similar patterns except for the 1BR category, whose average rent improved by 2% over the last half-year. But while areas near the capital have generally seen lower rents, Al Ahmadi's apartment sector saw an upward trend, driven by higher lease rates in Mahboula and Fintas districts. Among governorates, Ahmadi apartments have shown the best quarter-on-quarter performance in terms of rents, growing by 3%, 11%, and 10% for the 1BR, 2BR, and 3BR categories, respectively. Nearly 12,000 housing units turned over in 2024 The movement in rents can be attributed to a variety of events that have shaped Kuwait's residential leasing sector over the last six months. After the Mangaf fire, the government has cracked down on overcrowding in residential properties. At the same time, the leasing sector is seeing the effects of the massive residential construction boom sweeping across Kuwait, driven by the government's housing program. In 2024, the Public Authority for Housing Welfare distributed 11,897 housing units in Kuwait and issued 32,204 building permits in key residential projects, namely Mutlaa, South Abdullah Al-Mubarak, and South Khaitan. Anecdotes suggest that apartments which were rented by families waiting for their homes are now having challenges finding tenants. Home ownership is expected to increase in the forthcoming years with the anticipated introduction of the Mortgage Law, which will allow commercial lenders to provide housing loans. Once implemented, the Law is seen to encourage more lending activity in the housing sector, create a more competitive market, and potentially enable more citizens to own homes.
