Damascus, Sept. 29 (SANA) Officials in Damascus Countryside governorate have opened an office for landowners disputing expropriations linked to housing projects in Qudsaya city, after residents protested over compensation and ownership rights.
The governorate announced the move after a meeting between Governor Amer al-Sheikh and Public Works and Housing Minister Mustafa Abdul Razzaq on housing investment and residents’ claims concerning land within the Abyat Hills and Sham View projects.
Residents from Qudsaya and other Damascus Countryside communities protested on Saturday, calling for their claims to be resolved before development proceeds on land allocated to investors.
Several residents told SANA that their families had been affected by expropriation decisions dating back decades. Some said they had received no compensation, while others said payments offered in the past were too low. Mohammad Abbas said his family held documents establishing ownership of land on which private companies had begun work. The claims have not been adjudicated.
In a statement Monday, the Public Works and Housing Ministry said most of the contested decisions were issued decades ago and that the ownership status and compensation history of each property must be established through land records and payment documents. It said affected people could object and seek legal review, but that a delay in carrying out a project did not automatically reverse an expropriation.
The ministry said public housing projects could include commercial and investment components and could be developed with private partners. It also said the filing of a complaint did not establish the validity of a claim; the new office would review each submission under legal procedures.
Saudi developer Abyat, which is carrying out the Abyat Hills project in partnership with the Public Housing Establishment, said its work was lawful and that government agencies and courts must settle ownership disputes. The company said it would continue construction while respecting residents’ right to pursue claims through official channels.
Launched in June, Abyat Hills is expected to include more than 2,000 housing units on a site covering about 380,000 square meters, with construction scheduled over four years.
The ministry said it respected peaceful demands for property rights but opposed blocking roads and work sites.
Separately, residents in Homs protested Monday over expropriated land they linked to the Boulevard project. Homs City Council said the properties had passed into its ownership through legal procedures and were designated as a park under an approved plan dating to the 1970s. The residents called for the expropriation records and compensation arrangements to be reviewed.
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