Housing minister receives US Congress delegation

Housing Minister, Bassim bin Yaqub Al-Hamar, received here today a delegation from the US Congress, in the presence of the Housing Ministry's Undersecretary, Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.
The minister welcomed the delegation, and wished them a happy stay in the kingdom.
He reviewed with them the existing Bahrain-US relations of cooperation and coordination.
He also briefed them about the housing services provided by the government to low-income citizens since the 1960s.
He highlighted the unlimited support of the leadership and government in affordable social housing, and reviewed the Housing Ministry's initiatives and plans aimed at achieving the long-term sustainability of the housing issue through the new cities projects or partnership initiatives with the private sector which, he said, the government had already started implementing since 2013.
He pointed out to the Housing Ministry's future plans to change from a provider of housing services into a regulator of them, which will enhance the regulation efficiency of the social housing in the kingdom. 
The minister gave a brief explanation about the eligibility criteria of housing services for low-income citizens, the segments covered, and the stages of development of criteria since the launch of the social housing process in the Kingdom to the present.
The US Congress delegation expressed admiration for Bahrain's experience in providing affordable social housing for the citizens.

Source: BNA