Title: Iran Announces Targeted Housing Grants for Low-Income Families
In a significant move to address housing needs, the Iranian government has detailed a new support initiative providing substantial non-repayable grants for home construction to the nation’s most vulnerable citizens. The program, managed by the Housing Foundation of the Islamic Revolution, aims to provide a secure roof for qualifying families.
Clarifying the Grant Initiative
Recent online discussions have created confusion, suggesting a universal cash payment to all subsidy recipients. Officials have now provided official clarification, specifying that this is a targeted construction grant, not a universal cash disbursement.
The “Non-Repayable Housing Grant” is a collaborative program between the Housing Foundation and support organizations like the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation and the State Welfare Organization. It is designed explicitly for low-income households without property. The grants range from 50 to 250 million tomans and are not paid in cash to individuals. Instead, funds are disbursed in stages directly to the contractors or builders of the project to ensure a transparent and purpose-driven construction process.
Eligibility and Priority Groups
Contrary to widespread speculation, this program is not for all subsidy recipients. It is exclusively for specific groups of low-income and vulnerable individuals.
The primary eligible groups are those covered by the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation or the State Welfare Organization. Within these groups, female-headed households and persons with disabilities are given priority.
The main conditions for applicants are:
- Being in income deciles 1 to 3 according to the Iranian Welfare System.
- Owning no personal property or residential land in their name or that of their dependents.
- Possessing minimal financial capacity for the phased payment of construction costs.
- Not having benefited from similar housing schemes or facilities in previous years.
Distinction from Other Housing Programs
Majid Joudi, Deputy for Rural Reconstruction and Housing at the Housing Foundation, clarified that this grant is separate from the 400-million-toman rural housing loan.
The 400-million-toman loan is a separate banking facility with a 4% service charge and a 20-year repayment period, allocated for towns with populations under 25,000. In contrast, the non-repayable grant is specifically for households under the care of support organizations and is paid directly to cover construction costs. Eligible individuals can potentially benefit from both the rural housing loan and this grant, provided they are registered and their documents are verified.
Registration Process
To access this grant, applicants must be registered in an official state housing scheme or be in the process of constructing a residential unit. For those already under the coverage of the Relief Foundation or the Welfare Organization, the grant is automatically added to their file based on inquiries made by the support entity.
Prospective applicants who are in the specified income deciles and were not included in the National Housing Action plan can inquire about their status and register at their local county Housing Foundation office. After an initial document review and verification of property status and income decile, eligible cases are queued for land allocation and the non-repayable construction grant.