Applications for 7,900 housing flats and 15,000 land plots will open from 15 January 2026 to 14 April 2026, following the gazetting of updated guidelines under the Government’s Housing for All policy, the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure has announced.
According to the ministry, the land allocation will be divided into two main categories. Category One prioritises residents of Malé City, along with special priority groups within the Greater Malé region and Ras Malé. Category Two is designated for residents of other islands currently living in Malé, who will be allocated land in Ras Malé.
In total, 10,000 land plots will be issued to Malé residents, 3,000 plots to residents of other islands residing in the capital, and 2,000 plots to special priority categories. An additional 1,000 plots and 1,000 flats have been reserved for applicants registered in the Malé City Register.
Flat allocations have also been distributed across specific groups. The guidelines allocate 4,000 flats to Malé residents, 1,500 flats to residents of other islands living in Malé, and 2,400 flats to special priority categories. Priority consideration will be given to families without permanent housing, including households with persons with disabilities, families caring for elderly parents, and families with children under the age of 18.
The ministry said the guidelines were revised following public feedback. Under the updated rules, families with children under 18 who currently occupy a one-bedroom or two-bedroom unit may apply for a three-bedroom flat, provided they agree to surrender their existing unit as determined by the government. The policy also allows applications from households even if the applicant or their spouse owns more than 400 square feet of land or housing outside the Greater Malé Area.
Officials confirmed that the revised guidelines now supersede all previous announcements related to the programme, and reiterated that applications for both flats and land plots will officially open on 15 January 2026.
The Housing for All policy is a central pillar of the government’s housing agenda, aimed at expanding access to affordable housing and land ownership while addressing long-standing demand in the Greater Malé region.
