Iraq's Housing Crisis: Calls for Building Modern Cities as a Strategic Alternative to Urban Sprawl

The housing crisis in Iraq has evolved from a mere shortage of housing units into a highly complex urban challenge, imposing mounting pressure on the infrastructure of major cities, especially the capital, Baghdad, due to rapid population growth and the expansion of slums. In this context, experts and specialists are increasingly advocating for strategic solutions that go beyond temporary fixes by initiating the construction of integrated and sustainable cities. Manar Abdel Muttalib, a former member of the Parliamentary Services Committee, emphasized that building new cities has become the optimal and only choice to correct accumulated planning errors and alleviate the immense pressure on current cities that have exceeded their capacity. She noted that Baghdad alone houses roughly one-third of the country's population, making it imperative to utilize vacant spaces between governorates to build urban complexes that provide decent housing and basic services, curb soaring real estate prices, and restore balance to the country's demographic and urban map.