The Social Housing and Mortgage Finance Fund organized a discussion session titled “Housing in Egypt as a Right, Not an Investment… Reducing Speculation in the Global South to Ensure Adequate Housing Provision,” with the participation of Mai Abdelhamid, CEO of the Fund.
The session was held on the sidelines of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, under the theme “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities,” from May 17 to 22, 2026.
The discussion included Catherine Tovey, Director of Global Practices for Urban Development, Resilience, and Land for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan regions at the World Bank; Rania Hedaya, Regional Director for Arab States at UN-Habitat; Peter Mackie, Executive Director of the Global Institute for Homelessness; and Joseph Borrel Bro, Director-General of the Metropolis Institute.
The session was moderated by Dr. Paul Rabé, senior expert in land governance and urban development. At the beginning of her remarks, Mai Abdelhamid welcomed the participants to the session organized by the Social Housing and Mortgage Finance Fund, expressing her appreciation for their response to the invitation.
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The CEO of the Social Housing and Mortgage Finance Fund stated that the Egyptian state prioritizes the provision of adequate housing, as guaranteed by the Constitution, which affirms citizens’ right to housing. This commitment is also reflected in Egypt’s Vision 2030, which seeks to preserve human dignity and ensure stability for individuals and families.
She added that the government is working to narrow the gap between rising housing demand and available supply, particularly amid continuous population growth that increases annual housing needs.
She further noted that global economic crises have affected multiple sectors worldwide. However, ongoing state intervention through updated support mechanisms, adjusted according to the latest data and developments, has helped protect beneficiaries from rising housing costs.
She explained that the program began in 2014 when President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi launched the “Housing for All Egyptians” initiative, aimed at providing suitable and affordable housing for low- and middle-income citizens, with implementation assigned to the Social Housing and Mortgage Finance Fund.
She added that the Fund was tasked with planning and delivering one million housing units—an unprecedented scale compared to previous achievements in the sector—along with ensuring sustainable financing and establishing the necessary implementation policies.
She also noted that a comprehensive regulatory framework was developed to ensure that subsidized units are allocated only to eligible beneficiaries and are not accessed by non-eligible individuals.
She further highlighted strict post-occupancy regulations, including a prohibition on selling units before seven years, as well as bans on renting or changing their use. A monitoring system was also introduced to inspect units and ensure compliance and rightful occupancy.
She stated that in the coming phase, the Fund aims to strengthen its resources and introduce new partnership models to expand access to adequate housing, including collaboration with private real estate developers. Under this approach, the state provides land at a subsidized rate equivalent to utility delivery costs, encouraging private sector participation.
She noted that approximately 383 feddans will be allocated for the construction of 19,000 housing units. Developers will dedicate 80% of the land for low-income housing and 20% for commercial and administrative units, with construction carried out according to predefined standards ensuring green areas, ventilation, and safe pedestrian and cycling pathways.
She added that the state will also provide basic infrastructure, issue necessary permits and approvals, and continuously monitor compliance with tender conditions and technical standards. Developers will market units according to eligibility criteria set by the Fund, which will review applications, prepare shortlists, conduct field and credit assessments, and finalize beneficiary lists.
She further explained that unit prices are pre-set, and sales will be conducted through a mortgage financing system with an 8% interest rate over a repayment period of up to 20 years, ensuring affordability for low-income citizens.
Mai Abdelhamid confirmed that the “Housing for All Egyptians” program has significantly impacted Egypt’s real estate sector, increasing the urbanized area from 7% to 14%. More than 822,000 housing units have been implemented, with around 712,000 citizens already benefiting, while the remaining units are being allocated—bringing the total number of beneficiaries to approximately 3 million people.
Women represent 25% of beneficiaries, private sector workers 24%, and persons with disabilities 5%. The program has also generated around 4 million direct and indirect job opportunities and involved more than 900 construction companies.
In addition, the program has strengthened Egypt’s mortgage finance sector through cooperation with 31 financing entities and the provision of $2 billion in housing loans. About 65% of applicants had never previously dealt with banks or financial institutions, while the default rate remained below 0.5%.
During her participation in the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), Mai Abdelhamid also held a meeting to discuss the “Access Egypt” project, implemented by UN-Habitat in partnership with the Global Disability Fund (GDF), the International Disability Alliance (IDA), and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with the participation of the Social Housing and Mortgage Finance Fund. The project is planned for implementation in 10th of Ramadan City in Sharkia Governorate.
She explained that the project aims to enhance the inclusion of persons with disabilities among beneficiaries of the “Housing for All Egyptians” initiative. It goes beyond allocating 5% of housing units by ensuring that the surrounding environment is fully accessible and disability-friendly, including access to housing, schools, and essential services within the development.
She added that the project will utilize a mobile digital platform for beneficiaries with disabilities in 10th of Ramadan City, enabling them to report daily mobility challenges.
The collected data will be analyzed by the Fund to address obstacles, take corrective action, and prevent recurrence in future developments. The project will also include a competition for innovative design solutions to be applied in housing units for persons with disabilities.
She concluded by emphasizing that the Fund will continue strong cooperation with UN-Habitat and international partners to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities and ensure that the “Housing for All Egyptians” program provides an inclusive, accessible, and supportive living environment.