AMMAN — Adequate and affordable housing is emerging as an increasingly important national development priority for Jordan, as government institutions, development partners, the private sector, civil society and housing practitioners came together in Amman to explore opportunities to strengthen coordinated efforts to ensure access to adequate, affordable and secure housing across the Kingdom.

 

The discussions took place during a joint event marking the launch of the project “Enhancing Adequate Housing Provision and Rental Housing Market Development in Jordan,” according to a UN-Habitat statement.

 

The project is implemented under the Arab Land Initiative of UN-Habitat and the Global Land Tool Network with financial support from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

 

The project is being implemented in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and in close coordination with the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDC) and other national stakeholders.

 

The project builds on an earlier analysis and national consultation conducted in November 2024, which identified adequate housing provision and rental housing market development as one of three priority areas for further action in Jordan.

 

The current project includes an assessment of the rental housing market to strengthen the evidence base for future policies and interventions.

 

The event also launched the Jordan Housing Profile, developed by UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for Arab States, and the Report on the Status of Adequate Housing in Jordan, developed by the Habitat for Humanity Urban Housing Practitioners Platform.

 

Together, the initiatives highlight that Jordan’s housing challenge is no longer simply about increasing the number of housing units, but also about affordability, location, access to employment and transportation, and proximity to essential services.

 

In 2024, Jordan’s population exceeded 11.7 million, with approximately 90.3 per cent living in urban areas, placing growing pressure on cities to provide housing, infrastructure and services equitably and sustainably.

 

According to the Jordan Housing Profile, approximately 423,000 housing units were vacant in 2015, while more than 310,000 households were living in overcrowded or inadequate conditions. Around 70 per cent of housing supply at the time was suited to the purchasing power and needs of the highest-income 30 per cent of households, highlighting a significant affordability gap for low- and middle-income families.

 

“Housing cannot be considered in isolation from land, urban planning, transport, services, finance and sustainability. Jordan has important experience, institutions and initiatives across these areas,” said Deema Abu Thiab, Head of Programme, UN-Habitat Jordan

 

“An updated National Housing Strategy can provide an important opportunity to build on these foundations and bring different dimensions together under a coherent national vision; one that responds to where housing is needed, who needs it, what people can afford, and how our cities can become more inclusive and resilient,” Abu Thiab added.

 

The event also highlighted the growing role of rental housing, particularly for young people and lower-income households. The number of rented housing units increased from approximately 223,000 in 2004 to 540,000 in 2015, while rental prices more than doubled during the same period.

 

A critical moment for Jordan’s National Housing Strategy

 

Participants identified several areas where continued cooperation and policy development could strengthen the sector, including improving housing-market data, expanding access to affordable financing, strengthening planning and regulatory tools, and incorporating the evolving role of rental housing into national policies.

 

Updating the National Housing Strategy was highlighted as a timely opportunity to establish a more integrated framework addressing Jordan’s changing demographic, economic, social and urban realities.

 

“Jordan’s housing sector has evolved considerably, and our policies must continue to evolve with it. Updating the National Housing Strategy would allow us to build on Jordan’s accumulated experience while responding more effectively to affordability, demographic change, emerging housing needs and the changing role of the rental market,” said Jumana Attiyat, HUDC Director-General.

 

The event marked the beginning of a broad consultative process to identify priority challenges, policy considerations and practical interventions to inform future national housing policy.