Critical Junctures in Sustainable Social Housing Policy Development in Saudi Arabia: A Review

Khalid Abdullah Mulhim Al Mulhim, Mohammad Shahidul Hasan Swapan and Shahed Khan
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Khalid Abdullah Mulhim Al Mulhim: College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
Mohammad Shahidul Hasan Swapan: School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia
Shahed Khan: School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-19

Abstract: Historicising social housing delivery approach is extensively carried out for Western countries, but studies of social housing policy journey are less focused on developing nations and examining the policy development within resource-abundant Middle Eastern countries is even rarer. Applying a critical juncture approach through the historical institutionalism lens, this paper seeks to understand the evolution of social housing policies within the Saudi Arabian context. An in-depth policy review suggests that the institutional response in this sector has transitioned from a public-welfare perspective to a more neoliberal vision in recent times. The study also indicates a time-lag in policy development regarding social housing within the urban development process in Saudi Arabia compared to global movement. During the past few years, the government has begun to focus on social housing under the developmental housing program with a commitment to link these strategies to the Saudi Vision 2030. While this is a significant policy-shift in the service delivery approach, such vision could be workable as long as sufficient room is built in for other non-government actors to work within their specific protocols and frameworks as they collaborate to provide affordable and appropriate housing for the neediest groups of the society.

Keywords: social housing; critical junctures; housing delivery; public-private partnership; Vision 2030; Saudi Arabia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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