The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has stated that out of all the social housing units developed in Hulhumalé, only about three thousand unit owners are paying rent regularly, and the amount of unpaid rent exceeds seven hundred million rufiyaa. The company said that the total number of social housing units managed and collected rent by HDC is 8,511. Of these, 8,318 units are still recorded as units that need to be privatized and pay rent, according to the information provided.
However, HDC said that out of this number, the total number of social housing units recorded as paying rent regularly is 3,219 units. HDC said that 5,099 social housing units are recorded as not paying rent regularly. Additionally, it has been stated that as of February 28 this year, 728,193,616.18 rufiyaa in rent from social housing units has not been collected by HDC. HDC said that they have been sending payment advice every three months to the owners of social housing units who have not paid rent for more than one month, instructing them to pay the rent. The flat agreement for social housing units gives HDC the power to repossess the flat if rent is not paid regularly.
However, HDC said today that no social housing flat given under the social housing scheme has been repossessed so far due to non-payment of rent. Although there were people who paid rent for the flats regularly, after COVID, many people faced financial difficulties and found it hard to pay rent regularly. Along with this, the government of then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih arranged for leniency in this matter. After that, in the current administration, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has also reduced the rent for social housing flats in Hulhumalé.
Hulhumalé, developed by HDC, is a place where large social housing projects have been carried out to solve the housing problem in the Malé area. As such, after reclaiming Hulhumalé during the presidency of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the first flats were developed there. Every government that came after that carried out large social housing projects. The largest project was the Hiyaa project carried out during the presidency of former President Abdulla Yameen.
