The number of people who have benefited from the Direct Housing Assistance Program has reached 17,000 by July 15, 44% of whom are women and 22% are expatriates, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch said on Monday. Speaking at the House of Representatives' question time, Akhannouch revealed that 84,500 requests to benefit from the program have been submitted to the dedicated platform. The total value of the homes acquired amounted to 6.3 billion dirhams, with the State contributing 1.3 MMDH, said the Head of Government, noting that «in parallel with this forward leap, the urban planning and housing sector has recorded positive indicators since the launch of this Royal project». Akhannouch added that during the first trimester of the current year, the number of approved projects has increased by 16%, the added value of the Building and Public Works sector by 2.5%, mortgage loans by 1.5% and loans to real estate developers by 3.8%. According to the Head of Government, the direct housing assistance program will facilitate access for limited-income households and the middle class to decent housing. Increasing the housing supply will give a strong impetus to the private sector, boost SMEs and create employment opportunities, he stressed, noting that since its launch in early 2024, the Program «has been a great success, exceeding expectations and experiencing strong demand from Moroccans».
