Despite the fact that Qatar is the richest Arab country, there is a long waiting list of nationals who have applied for state-subsidised low-cost and free houses, according to Al Sharq newspaper. The allotment is done on a monthly basis by the Department of Housing at the Ministry of Civil Service Affairs and Housing.
In 2004, the department made allotments of 647 houses, 557 of which were low-cost while 90 were given free.
