The New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) hired 242 companies from the private sector to implement the first phase of the social housing project, according to a member of the housing and utilities sector’s central administration at the Ministry of Housing, Mustafa Ibrahim.
The NUCA also hired a number of specialised private offices for the development of strategic plans, and technical and engineering specifications.
At a seminar by the Egyptian Centre for Public Policy Studies (ECPPS) held on Thursday, entitled “Challenges and problems of housing in Egypt”, Ibrahim said the ministry and the NUCA have had good cooperation with the private sector in the development of social housing projects.
Meanwhile, another member of the central administration, Salama Abdel Aziz, told Daily News Egypt that the partnership with the private sector was not at the required level.
According to Abdel Aziz, some real estate developers have greatly benefited from the partnership in terms of personal profits away from public interest.
Commenting on the rise in land prices in a recent bid put forward by the NUCA, Salama said this is due to high prices of facilities and utilities of the offered lands.
If companies refrain from buying lands in the NUCA’s auctions, the ministry will reconsider the prices, Salama said.
“Social housing units in some new cities in Upper Egypt, as well as Sadat and Badr cities have seen a low turnout of citizens,” he added. “The NUCA recently launched 25,000 plots of land with no issued related to registration, licences, and facilitations and utilities as well as the advantage of a four-year premium.”
