Kurdistan ministers discuss housing reform

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani chaired a virtual meeting with various ministers on Tuesday regarding the autonomous region's policies toward housing, according to KRG press release.

The discussion was part of ongoing efforts to implement the far-reaching Reform Law, passed in January, that was the centerpiece of Barzani's administration before the coronavirus pandemic took over the world's headlines and recast public health as governments' main priority.

“The meeting, in which Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and a number of relevant ministers participated, discussed the execution of differentiating process between land projects” and the nature of the process of allotting registration papers for landowners, a statement on the KRG website read.

Municipalities grant cards – a legal document given to citizens that recognizes property ownership – do not necessarily allow cardholders to build housing on their lands unless the lands are registered in a separate process.

Ministers also discussed “completing the registration process for housing projects.” According to the press release, this included provisions that could allow for a pathway to ownership for residents living in units within large housing projects that have covered much of the Kurdistan Region's cities.

They decided to reorganize how service fees are managed in housing projects in the gated communities, “in a manner that makes a balance between residents’ livelihood and quality of services.” 

Ministers also discussed “accelerating” the legal process for compensating those whose properties were confiscated as a result of their lands crossing cities boundaries.

In accordance with Kurdistan Parliament’s law no. 3 of 2019 on individuals encroaching on public lands, it was decided to work toward assigning ownership to property in a way that takes into account the needs of low-income residents would be most affected.

On Monday, ministers discussed other issues of reform, such as reorganizing both customs and tariffs and regularizing sources of income.

Read More: Kurdistan Regional Government to organize customs, tariffs, and eliminate exemptions 

This came one day after senior officials discussed reviewing the region’s tax system, a major part of the Reform Law.

Read More: KRG to reorganize tax exemptions, advance private sector

“Minister of Planning, Dara Rashid, presented a report in which he reviewed opportunities and obstacles that prevented citizens from engaging in private sector work, recommending several solutions, strategies, and implementation plans to address the issues.”

Editing by John J. Catherine