JEDDAH — The Ministry of Housing will give priority to citizens who can pay the rent while allotting residential units, according to a ministry source. The source said the ministry cannot take care of applicants who cannot afford to pay the rent, those who are imprisoned, too ill to maintain their residence or are terminally ill even though it is the ministry is responsible for finding residence for all citizens. "The Council of Ministers has formed a committee to look into cases of citizens failing to pay their rent and meeting the conditions of lease. The committee will be put into effect within 30 days. It will take on the responsibility of aiding citizens who are unable to pay the rent," said the source. He said the purpose of forming the committee was to relieve the ministry of the burden of meeting housing requirements of citizens who are unable to pay. The committee consists of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Labor and Social Development represented by the General Organization for Social Insurance and a representative from Al-Birr Charity or any charity that supports the housing cause. "The ministry should not be concerned about the status of the applicants for residence. Its job is to simply provide residence for every citizen. The committee will be responsible for providing aid through various aid programs of the private and public sectors," said the source. The source also said the ministry is also responsible for providing residence in a timely manner for those who were evacuated from their previous residences. He said the Ministry of Housing will report back to the Council of Ministers in two years on the effectiveness of the decision.
