President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced that his administration is considering a policy allowing recipients of one-room social housing units to surrender their apartments in exchange for eligibility to apply for land plots. The proposal, presented during a meeting with residents of the Maafannu district, is part of a wider effort to confront Malé’s enduring housing crisis.
The president underscored that the measure is intended to expand access to land ownership while easing overcrowding in the capital. He also outlined progress on infrastructure projects designed to support new allocations. Two dredgers are currently reclaiming land for Hulhumalé Phase III, with completion expected by year’s end, after which the equipment will be redeployed to Gulhifalhu. That reclamation is projected to conclude within three months, with land already being distributed in non-restricted zones and funding secured in the national budget.
Attention has also turned to Rasmalé, where the administration has established a framework to issue 15,000 plots. Applications will open in January, prioritising first-time homeowners aged eighteen and above. If demand exceeds the initial 10,000 plots, a second phase will follow.
President Muizzu pledged that individuals whose newlywed flats were revoked under the previous administration would be compensated. He concluded that the Rasmalé distribution is expected to provide a comprehensive solution to Malé’s housing challenges.