Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to formulate a number of housing policies to address these two issues and meet the needs of Saudi families, in accordance with their social and economic characteristics. Design/methodology/approach The paper first provides a review of the housing policies in Saudi Arabia, highlights some of the global experiences in the field of housing and reviews the best lessons learned from those experiences. Then, the paper analyses the reality of the housing sector in Dammam Metropolitan Area (DMA) and discusses the most important results reached. Findings Finally, and based on the main findings, the paper puts forward a set of policies and actions recommended to improve housing sector in DMA. Originality/value The paper analyses the reality of the housing in DMA.