On Thursday, Moroccan government spokesperson Mustafa Baitas announced that the number of beneficiaries of the Direct Aid to Housing program had risen to 11,749 as of May 23, out of a total of 73,711 applications.
Out of the total number of applications received, 23 % were submitted by Moroccans living abroad, while 43% comprised women. The Minister noted that 90% of those registered met the eligibility criteria for this aid.
He also highlighted that 57% of applications pertain to housing valued between 300,000 and 700,000 MAD.
In terms of beneficiary distribution, Baitas reported that the Fes-Meknes region boasted the highest number of fulfilled requests, accounting for 35% of the total. This was followed by Casablanca-Settat (34.54%), the Northeastern region (6.5%), and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima with approximately 4%.
The official noted that housing aid has contributed to the recovery in the cement sector, which saw an increase in commercial activity of 21.11% between April 2023 and April 2024. Loans for housing are up by 1.4% between March 2023 and March 2024, while loans for real estate developers have increased by 4.2% over the same period.
Direct Aid to Housing is a Royal, state-funded program intended to improve citizens’ purchasing power to afford proper dwellings. Running from 2024 to 2028, the initiative offers financial assistance commensurate with the valuation of the designated property. Houses worth 300,000 MAD or less will receive 100,000 MAD in aid, while those valued between 300,000 – 700,000 MAD will receive 70,000 MAD.