A draft directive is prepared by the Ministry of Development, Housing and Construction (MUDHC) on housing registration for members of the Ethiopian Diaspora community. This housing scheme is going to be open only for the Ethiopian Diaspora.
The directive stipulates different list of prices and different housing schemes from which they can own a house from 40/60 and 20/80 schemes, which currently are underway.
According to the draft document, beneficiaries of the directive are the Diaspora and workers of the Ethiopian diplomatic missions. Members of these groups can register individually or can organize themselves and register under housing cooperative associations.
Individuals who would like to be included under this scheme have different alternatives. They can register for houses from two to four bedroom houses. According to Fortune, the directive rules out the alternative of a one bedroom apartment.
A two bedroom apartment is going to lie on 74 square meters and built on a minimum of four storey building. A registrant to such apartment is expected to pay a little more than half a Million Birr. On the other hand, three bedrooms apartment is going to occupy a total area of 100 square meters and cost 720,000 Birr.
A four bedroom house, according to Fortune, is going to cost close to a Million Birr and lie on a total area of 136 square meters.
The draft directive gives applicants different options when it comes to place of their choice. The choices are Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and other regional towns.
Nonetheless, there is a slight difference in price depending on the location of the buildings in regional towns. Apartments in major regional towns with two bedrooms will cost 424,390 Birr while three and four bedroom apartments will cost 573,500 Birr and 779,960 Birr respectively.
The price set for all the types of houses is based on the current construction material and thus it subject to changes in case of reasonable price change.
Buildings that are G+4 are going to be constructed in Addis Ababa by housing association of twelve members.
The directive puts three types of houses as an option for such associations. The first option it puts forward is an apartment that occupies a total area of 1056 square meters composed of three apartments of two bedrooms, six apartments of three bedrooms and three apartments of four bedrooms.
The second option is a building that lies on a total area of 1104 square meters with 12 apartments, one for each member of the members.
The last option the directive proposes has the same number of apartments with the second option, only it will be constructed on an area of 1088 square meters. There will be eight apartments with three bedrooms and the remaining four are going to be four bedroom apartments.
Registrants to this scheme are going to make the payment in a different manner from the already underway payment mechanism. Member of the Diaspora is expected to pay half of the price if he wishes to register and considered as a member of an organization.
The remaining half is going to be paid when the land for the construction of the house is prepared and handed over to the association. Construction permit will only be issued after full payment has been made.
Members of the Diaspora community will make their payments in foreign currencies with which the country transacts for the Diaspora community. However, Ethiopian diplomatic mission can make payments by Birr.
Source: Fortune
