The Government has announced the policy to lease 1,250-square-foot land plots from Ras Malé to long-term residents of other islands living in Malé City, while also expanding access to flats under affordable home ownership and rent-to-own schemes for eligible households.

According to the policy published by the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure, land plots will be allocated to residents of Malé City from Greater Malé Region and Ras Malé, while residents originally from other islands who have established their lives in the capital will receive plots only from Ras Malé.

To qualify, Malé City residents must be at least 18 years old and have been registered as residents of Malé for a minimum of one year by 14 January 2026, while residents of other islands living in Malé must have resided in the city for at least 15 years by the same date to be considered for land in Ras Malé.

The policy sets a strict land ownership ceiling, stipulating that applicants and their spouses must not own more than 400 square feet of land in any part of the country. Where applicants or their spouses hold a share of land through inheritance or will that exceeds this threshold, they will be required to relinquish it as determined by the Government. Land plots leased under the scheme cannot be sold or subleased, and will remain subject to the conditions outlined in the policy.

In addition to land plots, the policy provides for the allocation of flats from the Malé region under two categories: the Affordable Home Ownership Model and the Rent-to-Own Model. Under the affordable home ownership model, applicants may purchase housing at subsidised prices, provided they meet eligibility criteria for a financing facility from a bank or other financing institution and are first-time homeowners. The rent-to-own model enables tenants to make monthly payments towards the value of the unit, with legal ownership transferred after the full unit price has been paid as rent. Management fees and other charges will be applied separately in line with agreements between providers and lenders.

Eligibility for this model applies to applicants with a gross monthly income of below MVR 60,000, subject to meeting the residency requirements and other conditions set out for both land and flat categories. The Ministry of Housing is also empowered to introduce further categories under the policy as required.

The policy establishes a detailed priority framework for housing allocation, giving preference to single parents with children under 18, persons with disabilities, and married couples or young families. Priority will also be extended to applicants registered in the Taxi Drivers’ Registry, fishermen registered in Malé, and employees in the tourism and judicial sectors who have built their families in the capital. Further preference will be given to homeowners who have been deprived of their homes, poor families living without adequate housing in Malé City, and recipients of units from previous programmes such as Veshifahi Malé and Hiyaa who have not yet received their flats in accordance with documentation.

The Ministry noted that additional priority may be accorded based on assessments conducted by a Government institution designated by the Ministry, as well as to employees of institutions identified in future announcements. A structured points system has been introduced to assess applications for both flats and land plots, taking into account factors such as income level, duration of residency, family status, and vulnerability.