Subscription-good housing

Ministry of Municipalities and Housing: Safety in Group Housing Is a Priority for Protecting Residents

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing affirmed the importance of complying with the safety requirements set out in the Updated Guide to the Health and Technical Requirements for Group Housing for Individuals, stressing the responsibility of establishment owners to provide a safe residential environment and to raise the level of readiness to deal with emergencies. The Ministry explained that the safety framework begins with maintaining the readiness of evacuation routes and emergency exits and keeping them free of obstructions; providing illuminated directional signage and backup lighting systems that operate automatically in the event of a power outage; and fitting emergency doors with mechanisms that allow them to be opened easily from the inside, ensuring that locking systems do not impede their use during evacuation. It stressed the need to verify the readiness of alarm and firefighting systems and to carry out periodic maintenance on them, to prevent unregulated storage inside housing facilities or in corridors and exits, and to observe the approved occupancy capacity of each establishment, thereby limiting risks and raising the level of prevention. The Ministry called on establishments and employers to prepare approved evacuation plans in accordance with statutory requirements, to display evacuation diagrams in prominent and easily visible locations, to clearly mark emergency exits and assembly points, and to ensure that all housing occupants are aware of the procedures to be followed when an emergency occurs. It affirmed that the readiness of personnel is a fundamental pillar of the safety framework, which requires training housing occupants periodically on evacuation procedures, conducting drills that simulate emergencies, and familiarizing them with the safe use of first-response firefighting equipment, in order to strengthen the speed of response and sound decision-making. The Ministry concluded by affirming that adherence to safety requirements is not limited to meeting statutory requirements; it also represents a direct responsibility to prevent incidents and preserve the safety of residents. It noted that readiness and a proper response during the first minutes of any emergency contribute to reducing losses and to providing a safe and sustainable group housing environment.

Ministry of Municipalities and Housing: More Than 34,000 Building Permits Issued in the First Half of 2026

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing issued more than 34,000 building permits across the regions of the Kingdom during the period from January to the end of June 2026, as part of its efforts to regulate construction work, simplify procedures, and keep pace with the urban development activity taking place in cities and governorates. The Ministry explained that residential permits accounted for the largest share of the total permits issued, exceeding 28,000 permits, while commercial permits numbered more than 5,000, in addition to over 1,000 permits for government buildings. It stated that the development of the municipal licensing framework and the expansion of the digital solutions available through the Balady platform have both contributed to simplifying permit issuance procedures, accelerating the processing of applications, and improving the user experience, as well as increasing the efficiency of coordination between the relevant authorities. The Ministry affirmed that the volume of permits issued reflects the diversity of urban development projects across the residential, commercial, and government sectors and keeps pace with development expansion in the various regions of the Kingdom, in addition to its role in supporting investment and developing the built environment. It noted that work will continue with the municipalities and sub-municipalities to improve licensing procedures, develop the related digital solutions, and enhance performance efficiency, in a manner that supports the quality of municipal services, elevates the urban landscape, and contributes to achieving the targets of Saudi Vision 2030. This comes as an extension of the Ministry's efforts to develop the municipal licensing framework. The Ministry recently announced the issuance and renewal of more than 274,000 commercial licenses during the first half of 2026, comprising the issuance of more than 97,000 new commercial licenses and the renewal of over 177,000 licenses, in addition to the completion of more than 91,000 amendments to commercial licenses, over 43,000 transactions to add commercial activities, and approximately 39,000 transactions to transfer license ownership, as part of efforts to strengthen the investment environment and expand the range of digital services provided through the Balady platform.

Ministry of Municipalities and Housing: Inspection Coverage of Food Establishments Reaches 97% in the First Half of 2026

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has intensified its inspection efforts targeting food establishments across the regions of the Kingdom, working through the municipalities and sub-municipalities and in coordination with the relevant authorities, in order to strengthen food safety and reduce cases of food poisoning. The Ministry explained that inspection coverage of food establishments reached 97 percent during the first half of 2026, and that the municipalities and sub-municipalities will continue to widen the scope of field visits and increase their frequency in the period ahead, to complete inspection coverage, strengthen compliance with health requirements, and protect consumer health. It confirmed that the municipalities and sub-municipalities carry out field inspection visits to restaurants, kitchens, and food retail outlets to verify compliance with health requirements and with the laws and regulations governing food activities, to record violations, and to take statutory action against non-compliant establishments, thereby safeguarding public health and raising the quality of the services provided. The Ministry noted that continuous coordination between the municipalities and sub-municipalities and partner entities strengthens the efficiency of the food safety framework and raises the level of readiness and responsiveness to reports and violations related to food activities. It called on members of the public to report food establishments that do not comply with health requirements through the unified number (940) or the Balady platform, affirming that community participation supports field inspection work and helps to identify and address reports quickly.