President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that residents who previously received one-bedroom flats under government housing schemes will now be eligible to apply again.

Previously, rules barred anyone already owning a flat through a state programme from reapplying, a restriction that had sparked concern among families struggling with cramped living conditions.

President Dr Muizzu confirmed that the matter had been reviewed in detail and the rules amended. Under the change, households with one-bedroom units can now submit applications for the “Housing for All” scheme, launched on 16 November. The initiative allows applicants to exchange their existing flats for larger three-bedroom units.

He noted that many families in Malé are forced to share single rooms, highlighting the urgent need for more spacious housing.

The Housing for All policy, inaugurated last month by Construction Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib, is the Government’s flagship housing initiative. It pledges to deliver 7,500 flats and 15,000 plots of land across income groups, aiming to ease the capital’s chronic housing shortage.