Damascus, Sept. 23 (SANA) Syria plans to build or rehabilitate about 2 million homes by 2035 to cut its housing deficit by more than 70%, as authorities seek to address a shortage estimated at 1.9 million units in 2025.
The housing gap could widen to 2.5 million units by 2030 unless supply increases more rapidly, Imad al-Masri, assistant minister of public works and housing for planning and studies, told SANA.
Syria’s housing stock is estimated at about 4.25 million units, of which around 1.32 million have sustained varying degrees of damage, according to baseline estimates cited by al-Masri.
Four-track plan targets 70% reduction in housing gap
The Ministry of Public Works and Housing is pursuing four parallel tracks: completing existing and stalled projects, rehabilitating repairable homes, rebuilding damaged housing and adding new supply based on demand in individual governorates.
Al-Masri said priorities would vary according to housing shortages, population growth, return needs, land availability, employment opportunities and the capacity of infrastructure and public services.
Authorities are also using spatial data and geographic information systems to assess potential development sites, while the National Regional Planning Framework 2035 aims to promote balanced development and link urban expansion with industrial areas, local resources and employment.
Private investment backs major housing projects
The government is increasingly pursuing integrated developments combining housing with services, commercial facilities, schools, public spaces and transport links.
Projects involving private-sector participation include Abyat Hills in Qudsaya suburb, with about 2,000 homes; a 20,000-unit development in al-Bajaa; and Sham View, between Qudsaya and Dummar, with more than 7,500 homes as part of a mixed-use project designed for more than 22,000 residents.
Among the largest developments is New Damascus, being developed under an agreement signed in August between the Syrian Sovereign Fund and UAE-based Arada Group.
The nearly $7 billion project covers 4 million square meters and is planned to include 11,000 homes, more than 500 hotel rooms, a 300-bed hospital and educational facilities for 5,000 students.
Al-Masri said housing development would be financed through a mix of government investment, private capital, investment partnerships and foreign investment.
One model involves the state providing land owned by the General Housing Establishment while private investors develop projects and infrastructure, expanding supply without requiring the government to bear the full cost.
The establishment is also working to revive stalled projects and accelerate delivery of completed units in Damascus Countryside, Homs, Hama, Lattakia, Tartous, Aleppo and Deir Ezzor.
Housing shortage weighs on returns
Syria’s housing needs form part of a broader reconstruction challenge. The World Bank has estimated the cost of rebuilding the country’s physical assets at about $216 billion, compared with $108 billion in direct damage.
Estimated reconstruction needs include $75 billion for residential buildings, $82 billion for infrastructure and $59 billion for non-residential buildings, with damage concentrated in Aleppo, Damascus Countryside and Homs.
Housing availability is also closely linked to the return of Syrians displaced by years of conflict.
According to figures cited in the report, the UN refugee agency had verified the return of 1,717,964 Syrians from abroad between December 2024 and April 2026, alongside about 1.97 million internally displaced people who returned to their areas.
Difficulty accessing housing was cited as the leading obstacle to return, at 39%, followed by inadequate basic infrastructure, including electricity and water, at 35%, and insufficient resources at 34%.
Al-Masri said the goal was to balance urban development across governorates by directing housing and investment toward areas capable of supporting growth, jobs and services while rehabilitating existing cities.
Consulting engineer Mohammad al-Owais and economic adviser Ziad Arabsh stressed the need to link new housing to transport, infrastructure and employment, with Arabsh saying proximity between homes and workplaces could reduce commuting costs and increase productivity.
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