Relocation windfall: Shift in fortunes

A family that was ousted from Satwa to make way for development has been given a reprieve by Dubai Government in the form of a new five-bedroom villa in Al Quoz.

Thirteen years after moving to live with his wife’s family in their makeshift home crafted from plywood and corrugated steel in Satwa, Mustafa Mohammad still can’t believe his family’s good fortune.

The 11-member Mohammad family moved into their new home four months ago.

Mohammad works at the Municipal Hazardous Waste Treatment Plant, earning just under Dh7000 a month; Dh4000 of which go to paying his bank loan.

Mohammad has five kids and is the family’s sole bread winner.

Now the family no longer has to collect aluminium cans for recycling to make ends meet – a regular revenue source for them in Satwa.

"All we wanted was proper shelter."

His wishes came true.

The new family villa’s value is estimated at Dh2 million, according to the Land Department.

The house was awarded to them fully furnished as compensation for their rodent infested shack.

"I am very grateful for what we have been given by the government – it’s more than we could have ever asked for," he said with a faint quiver in his voice.

Compensation

• Monetary payment
• Land in location of choice
• Furnished villa estimated at Dh2 million if they can’t afford to build a house.
• Emiratis living in the premises get rental allowance between Dh250,000 and Dh700,000 before evacuating the premises
• Tenants, including expats, are reimbursed by the landlord and compensated by the government.

(Source: Hassan Ali Abu Rehaima, Head of Custody Section at Dubai Land Dept)