Government reveals comprehensive strategy for structured accommodation for expatriates due to escalating population strains
Kuwait is taking significant steps to improve the living conditions of its expatriate workers, particularly single men, by building 12 new model worker housing complexes. These new complexes, often referred to as workers’ cities, will house approximately 275,000 workers and are strategically located outside family housing zones in the Governorates of Jahra and Ahmadi [1][3][4].
The key details of this ambitious housing plan are as follows:
- Scale and Locations: Six new worker cities will be constructed—four in Jahra Governorate and two in Ahmadi—with the goal of providing integrated, sustainable housing away from densely populated residential neighborhoods [1].
- Urban and Environmental Design: The complexes are planned with a holistic urban vision prioritizing environmental sustainability, public health, and comprehensive service infrastructure (e.g., roads, sewage, electrical substations) [1][2].
- Security and Social Impact: The initiative aims to address overcrowding and safety issues prevalent in existing illegal bachelor houses, notably in areas like Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, which posed health and security risks. Relocating workers into these managed complexes is expected to reduce crime and improve social stability by better regulating expatriate housing [1].
- Integration with Larger Housing Projects: These worker housing projects complement other major housing developments in Kuwait such as Al-Mutlaa City, South Saad Al-Abdullah, and South Sabah Al-Ahmad Cities, which target Kuwaiti citizens but share infrastructure development themes [2].
- Government Strategy and International Collaboration: The plan is part of Kuwait’s strategic urban development to better organize expatriate populations and improve living standards. Kuwaiti officials have engaged international partners, including Chinese state-owned enterprises, to leverage global best practices in modern city infrastructure and sustainable urban planning [5].
The Public Utilities Company is responsible for managing and planning expansions of existing workers' cities. Large-scale projects for new workers' housing complexes are underway in Amghara and northern West Shuaiba, although no new information about these specific projects was provided [6].
These new projects will be built to the highest environmental and planning standards in selected locations outside family residential zones. The new complexes aim to create integrated environments that prioritize health, safety, and quality of life, thereby enhancing the dignity of expatriate workers living in Kuwait [7]. This initiative addresses both humanitarian and urban challenges, as well as serving as a security measure by reducing slum-like conditions that facilitate crime [8].
- This housing plan, aimed at improving the living conditions of expatriate workers in Kuwait, involves policy-and-legislation decisions for the construction of six new worker cities, situated in the Governorates of Jahra and Ahmadi.
- The development of these new housing complexes, part of a larger strategy for urban planning, will not only cater to general-news topics such as housing and urban development but also contribute to political discussions surrounding the treatment of expatriate workers in Kuwait.
