KPKT to source land from other ministries to build affordable homes

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): Besides state governments, the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) has requested other federal ministries to provide unused strategic land for the development of affordable housing, said minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

“Land with good accessibility and located in town areas is not easily available and if there is, it would be very, very expensive. So the ministry is looking at all the pocket lands for affordable TODs (transit-oriented developments),” she told the audience at the Real Estate Seminar 2018 held at  Universiti Malaya today.

“Together with the other agencies and ministries, we are looking at lands under tem that are located at strategic locations but unused,” she added.

The minister had earlier called on state governments to offer lands for the ministry to develop affordable houses.

She said development cost and hence house prices can be reduced when land is given by the state government for affordable housing.

To deliver on its election promise of providing one million affordable houses for the rakyat over the next 10 years, KPKT is looking at various means and approaches.

Another area that the government is looking at is overhang residential properties.

Zuraida said the ministry will work with banks to offer more flexible mortgage packages to sell  unsold homes to eligible buyers based on the property price range.