RIYADH, Nov 20 (Arab News): Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has launched a new "Real Estate Stimulus" program aimed at boosting sector sustainability, unlocking investment opportunities and accelerating development across the Kingdom.
Minister Majid Al-Hogail unveiled the initiative, which is designed to convert land into high-quality development prospects through digital tools that integrate landowners, developers, investors and financiers on a single platform. The system provides site analysis, feasibility assessments and investment facilitation, helping increase market efficiency and transparency.
Al-Hogail also sponsored the first incentivized agreement under the program - a deal between a landowner and a developer for a 130,000 sq. meter plot in Riyadh's Al-Ared district. The project will deliver around 1,200 residential units within a mixed-use scheme featuring housing, commercial, administrative and hospitality components.
The National Housing Co. said the initiative represents a major step in advancing the Kingdom's real estate ecosystem, supporting an integrated investment environment that enables stakeholders to secure sustainable returns. The company added that the digital framework enhances transparency, shortens development cycles and strengthens Saudi Arabia's position as an attractive destination for domestic and international investors.
The stimulus program is part of broader NHC efforts to empower the real estate sector through innovative solutions that expand growth opportunities and encourage new partnerships across the industry.
Alongside the program's launch, the ministry signed a cooperation agreement with NetZero during Cityscape 2025 to support environmental sustainability initiatives. The partnership focuses on expanding vegetation cover, reducing carbon emissions and advancing the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative.
Under the agreement, both sides will collaborate on smart afforestation projects, technical advisory services for urban forests, environmental studies, and digital documentation of natural assets - including smart maps and detailed afforestation data.
The partnership will also introduce environmental competitions and awards for municipalities to promote sustainable practices, as well as workshops and public awareness campaigns to engage communities in green initiatives. NetZero will work with municipalities on sustainable afforestation programs, attract private sector partnerships to enhance environmental spending efficiency, and issue periodic reports on emissions reduction and carbon credit generation in line with national regulations.
The Makkah Province Development Authority has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Housing Co. to advance logistics development across the region.
Under the agreement, both sides will develop joint work streams aimed at strengthening logistics services and building a more resilient, responsive environment for future development. The MoU includes studying the establishment of integrated logistics zones in strategic locations, complete with modern operational facilities, warehouses, logistics offices, and support services to boost the region's ability to attract industrial and service activities linked to the transport network.
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