Government regulation and financial support on housing delivery: lessons learned from the Saudi experience

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the housing delivery in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and to discuss the most significant government regulations and financial support that have been applied since the beginning of this century and especially during the past ten years, which constituted a qualitative leap in the housing sector in the country. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the desktop study technique was used to review the key related literature, collect the data and analyze secondary data. This study used a mixed approach involving (1) literature search and review, (2) analysis of literature public documents and databases and (3) expert discussions. The content analysis technique was followed for data analysis of gathered documents and secondary data. This study used the three-step iterative process during the use of the content analysis technique. Findings The findings reveal that the demand for housing will continue to increase in the coming years with increase in population. The housing supply should not only match the demand but also should develop according to the social and economic characteristics of the population. Besides, the authorities have to both streamline and reinforce regulations pertaining to construction permits and building licenses. Nonetheless, the regulators are suggested to remain vigilant about potential fiscal and financial risks as the housing market develops. Research limitations/implications The opinions of policymakers and stakeholders are very important, but because of the time limitation it has not been explicitly addressed. Instead, discussions with select experts were carried out to validate the findings. Future research can assess the housing delivery based on the viewpoints of the policymakers, professionals, academics and stakeholders to have better insights and broaden the boundaries of knowledge in this field. Originality/value Similar studies in this field are limited, which makes this paper one of the pioneering attempts to study the current housing situation in the KSA and shed light on the most significant government regulations and financial support for housing delivery in the country.