Opening date for housing applications postponed again

The government has postponed, for a third time, the opening of applications for its first housing project under the “Housing for All” policy.

The Ministry of Housing said applications for land and flats under the Family Housing Programme will now open on Sunday, citing the high number of expected applicants and concerns that opening the portal ahead of the weekend could affect the provision of public information.

“The portal will be opened to the public on Sunday, 18 January 2026, at 9.00am,” the ministry said in a statement.

Applications were originally scheduled to open on 4 January, before being postponed to this week.

Under the policy, all Maldivian citizens aged 18 and above may apply through the Hiyaavahi Portal. The government has earmarked 7,500 flats under the scheme.

Of these, 4,000 flats are allocated for Male' residents and 1,500 for non-residents. The remaining 2,000 flats include 800 reserved for state institutions, the police and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). Flats are also set aside for single mothers and fathers, fishermen, tourism workers and taxi drivers.

A total of 15,000 plots of land, each measuring 1,250 square feet, will be allocated under the land distribution policy. Of these, 10,000 plots are reserved for Male' City residents, including 7,000 for those registered as Male' residents since birth, 1,000 for those listed in the Male' Residence Register, and 2,000 for those who registered later.

Another 3,000 plots are allocated for residents of other islands currently living in Male', 500 for individuals deprived of land ownership due to inheritance issues, and 1,000 for those exchanging land located on narrow streets. Residents from other islands may also apply if they have lived in Male' continuously for at least 15 years.

The housing project is one of President Mohamed Muizzu’s key election pledges, aimed at addressing the country’s long-standing housing shortage.

The government has said individuals included in the gazetted list of eligible applicants under the previous administration’s housing scheme will need to reapply under the new programme, following changes to eligibility conditions and the points system.

Under the revised rules, applicants will be considered to have lived continuously in Male' even if they were temporarily absent for work assignments, education, medical treatment or other necessary reasons, provided their family, spouse or children continued to reside or study in Male'. A total residence period of 15 years will be treated as continuous residence.

The ministry has also amended rules allowing recipients of one-bedroom flats under previous schemes to apply for three-bedroom units after vacating their existing homes, following public consultations across the city.

Among other recent changes, the minimum residency requirement to apply for housing has been reduced from five years to one year. Applicants whose spouses do not own property in the Male' area are now eligible, even if the spouse owns property elsewhere in the Maldives. The ministry will determine eligibility for flat sizes.

Points for flats and land will be awarded based on factors including length of residence in Male', income, number of children, children with special needs, medical childlessness and whether the applicant owns land.