Project type                                                              Social Housing

Promoter                                                                  Government of Jordan and UN-Habitat

Start date                                                                  2014

Estimated end date                                               2018

Funding                                                                    Private sector funding

Jordan has, as many other cities around the world, a lack of affordable housing, and even more with the increasing number of inhabitants and refugees in Jordanian cities. And with this project, Jordan aims to provide an innovative and lasting solution to this situation. Currently, there are more than 10 million inhabitants in Jordan and the National housing deficit is of ~100,000 units. Furthermore, there is the added value of 1.3 million Syrian refugees settling in Jordan’s cities.

The government of Jordan together with the UN-Habitat program and thanks to private sector funding launched the Jordan Affordable Housing (JAH) Program with the main aim of providing affordable, good quality housing units for lower-middle income inhabitants without the use of subsidy.

The JAH Program optimised the housing size and design in order to provide affordable, good quality and low-cost housing. After a competition, the final proposed housing model has 65 m² with shared plots and incremental construction for 15.000 JD. The smaller units can be extended in horizontal and vertical for additional 11.000 JD, so that it can be adjusted to every family size and needs.

The project consists of two phases: the first one (2014-2016) was to design the JAH structure and construction of up to 20 demonstration units; the second one (2016-2018) is to be the implementation at scale and operation of the JAH entity.

In June of 2016, the first pilot housing units were opened for demonstration in Ramtha and three other cities, thanks to the funding of the Swiss Government and the JAH Program. The units were furnished for the demonstration by IKEA.

• Design housing units of 65 m2 for 15.000 JD
• Design of affordable and lasting housing units
• Development of pilot housing units in 4 Jordanian cities
• Launch of pilot project process in Ramtha