Iranian Govt. Delivers Deficient Housing After 13-Year Wait

The Iranian government has finally delivered housing units as part of the Mehr Housing initiative to owners who have endured a 13-year wait.

However, the Tehran development's newly handed-over units lack essential utilities such as water, electricity, and gas.

The Tasnim News Agency reports that the residences also suffer from a lack of basic amenities, including elevators in high-rise buildings and adequate water pressure. As a result, residents of the newly allocated units either remain hesitant to move in or grapple with numerous challenges in their living conditions.

The Mehr Housing scheme, initially launched during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's tenure from 2005 to 2013, aimed to construct a total of 4.3 million housing units. The ambitious project continued under President Hassan Rouhani's administration.

However, many of the units experienced damage during a devastating earthquake in western Iran in 2018. Responding to the issues, President Rouhani called for an investigation, and numerous new homeowners voiced complaints about the lack of essential infrastructure and amenities, including public transport and schools, in proximity to the newly constructed apartment blocks.

President Ebrahim Raisi, during his campaign, made a commitment to build one million housing units annually. However, housing market experts and some politicians have deemed this pledge "impractical." The average price of one square meter of housing in Tehran is approximately 600 million rials ($1,200), significantly higher than the monthly minimum wage of around $120 (without benefits).