The National Program for the Development of Collective Housing for Individuals has affirmed the obligation of establishments housing 20 or more workers to rectify the status of their worker accommodation through one of two approved regulatory tracks. This comes as part of ongoing efforts to regulate worker housing and raise the quality of the residential environment, contributing to the enhancement of quality of life and the improvement of the urban landscape in the Kingdom’s cities.
The Program explained that the first track involves obtaining a collective housing license for the establishment’s building through the “Baladi” platform, after meeting the approved health, technical, and municipal requirements. The second track offers the option of contracting with pre-licensed collective housing units, ensuring the provision of regulated worker accommodation in approved buildings without the need for the establishment to manage its own residential facilities.
The Program noted that compliance with one of the two tracks contributes to organizing the distribution of worker housing within urban areas, reducing unauthorized use of residential properties, and raising the level of compliance with municipal and health requirements—all of which positively impact the safety of the residential environment and quality of life in cities.
The Program called on establishments to proactively rectify the status of their worker accommodation through the available regulatory tracks, noting that failure to do so in accordance with the approved options may result in the application of regulatory measures outlined in the guidance manual, including the recording of violations and the suspension of certain government services linked to the establishment.
The Program indicated that these measures are part of a broader framework of efforts aimed at developing a more organized model for worker housing in the Kingdom, supporting the efficiency of the housing market, advancing the level of urban planning, and enhancing the sustainability of cities in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing chairs The National Program for the Development of Collective Housing for Individuals, which includes in its membership the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority, and the Saudi Public Health Authority (Weqaya)
