Minister of Social Affairs Yousuf Al-Othaimeen, who is also general supervisor of the scheme, said Monday that a total of 2,000 housing units with highly advanced infrastructure facilities and utility services are ready for distribution among deserving people. The King Abdullah Housing Foundation is implementing this ambitious multibillion-riyal project.

Speaking to the Saudi Press Agency, Al-Othaimeen said the project reflects the keenness of King Abdullah, who is also chairman of the foundation, to make available all basic elements for citizens to lead a decent life. He said royal orders have been issued to name the scheme the King Abdullah Housing Development Project. The housing units will be distributed among the families who have been displaced as a result of the violence involving Yemeni insurgents late in 2009. “The distribution would be on the basis of the report of a special committee which was tasked to prepare the final list of displaced families,” the minister said.

The project’s first phase, which was implemented in Jazan’s Al-Hasma, involves 2,000 housing units, as well as mosques, schools, health centers, roads, parks, and pedestrian pavements in addition to water and sewage, electricity and telephone networks. The foundation has embarked on the mega project to build 6,000 housing units at a total cost of SR6 billion in April 2010. This followed King Abdullah’s order to implement the project when he visited Jazan in December 2009 to inspect the armed forces stationed along the Kingdom’s southern border with Yemen.