Iran’s Housing Foundation Spearheads National Reconstruction and Rural Development
Tehran – In the wake of recent events, Iran’s Housing Foundation has demonstrated its pivotal role in national resilience, swiftly moving to manage reconstruction efforts while continuing its long-term mission of providing housing solutions, particularly in rural areas.
Swift Response to National Incidents
According to a report by Mehr News Agency, Hojatoleslam val-Muslimin Hossein Rouhani Nejad, the Representative of the Supreme Leader in the Housing Foundation of the Islamic Revolution, detailed the organization’s immediate response to a recent event on June 12. He emphasized that from the very first hours, the Foundation activated its machinery for debris removal and damage assessment in affected residential areas across the country.
“The Housing Foundation, based on its inherent duty, entered the arena wherever an incident occurred,” Rouhani Nejad stated, highlighting the organization’s decades-long mandate in post-disaster management.
A Legacy of Reconstruction
The official outlined the Foundation’s comprehensive approach, which includes providing livelihood aid to the affected, securing temporary housing for families, and carrying out repairs, reinforcement, or complete reconstruction of damaged homes. He noted that this process has successfully commenced nationwide.
Rouhani Nejad provided historical context, revealing that since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the Housing Foundation has rebuilt or repaired over 2.3 million residential units. This includes the extensive reconstruction efforts undertaken during the eight years of the Sacred Defense.
Collaborative Efforts in Tehran and Beyond
In the capital, the responsibility for reconstruction was delegated to the Tehran Municipality following an offer by its mayor, which was welcomed by the President due to existing financial considerations. The Housing Foundation has fully cooperated, transferring all its completed assessments and case files—amounting to over 8,000 cases—to the municipality to ensure an uninterrupted workflow.
Across the country’s provinces, the Foundation continues its work in cooperation with provincial governors, repairing and reinforcing public sector infrastructure that sustained damage.
Expanding Rural Housing Initiatives
Beyond emergency response, the Foundation is actively pursuing its legal duty for the annual renovation of 200,000 rural housing units and those in cities with populations under 25,000. A key instrument in this endeavor is a 400 million Toman loan with a 5% service fee and a 20-year repayment period.
“This facility, combined with the household’s own financial contribution, makes it possible to provide a 60 to 70 square meter unit,” Rouhani Nejad explained. He noted that this rural renovation loan has significantly increased from its initial 5 million Toman value, with further increases dependent on government resource allocation.
Commitment to Affordable Housing
The Foundation is also focused on making housing more affordable for lower-income citizens. Rouhani Nejad expressed that the government has a positive outlook on this matter, and a proposal for a dedicated 400 million Toman loan with a 5% fee for this specific housing sector has been well-received.
“The First Vice President is personally following up on the issue, and we hope that the means to deliver 50,000 units for the underprivileged will be provided soon,” he concluded, underscoring a continued commitment to national housing development and social welfare.