Cambodia to Hold Lottery for Land and Housing for 538 Poor Families in Late July

The Cambodian government has announced a plan to distribute land and housing through a lottery for 538 impoverished families. This initiative, part of the 'Land Grant and Forest Protection Program for Sustainable Development,' is scheduled to take place on July 27 at the National Television of Cambodia (TVK) station in Phnom Penh. The program was initiated by Prime Minister Hun Manet with the aim of enhancing the protection and sustainable conservation of natural resources for future generations. It also seeks to improve the efficiency and productivity of state land use by providing social land grants to poor families who lack land for housing, ensuring equity, supporting community development projects, and sustainably protecting forests near the land distribution sites. According to a notification from the program's secretariat, a total of 755 families are eligible for land under Project 1. Of these, 217 families, who were integrated on-site, have already had their lottery draw in May 2026 and most have moved to their new locations. The remaining 538 families will participate in the upcoming lottery draw. Project 1 is located in Ou Sev 3 area, S'am K'uy commune and S'am K'uy commune, Sesan district, Stung Treng province. Each land plot is 3 hectares in size. The government has prepared essential infrastructure, including roads and water reservoirs, and has constructed 751 housing units with bathrooms out of a total plan for 770 units. The secretariat also appealed to eligible citizens to follow the lottery draw, verify their names, land plot numbers, and housing unit numbers, and prepare for relocation to their new residences and to sign the contracts for receiving the land plots and houses as per subsequent notifications. The lottery process is divided into five provincial groups: 1. Battambang (56 families), Stung Treng (60 families), Preah Vihear (18 families), Banteay Meanchey (12 families), and Koh Kong (5 families). 2. Kampong Cham (63 families), Ratanakiri (25 families), Takeo (16 families), Kampong Thom (10 families), and Oudor Meanchey (5 families). 3. Tboung Khmum (45 families), Prey Veng (23 families), Siem Reap (13 families), Kampot (12 families), and Sihanoukville (5 families). 4. Kratié (45 families), Phnom Penh (22 families), Kampong Speu (12 families), Svay Rieng (10 families), and Pailin (4 families). 5. Kep (1 family), Kandal (36 families), Pursat (19 families), Mondulkiri (13 families), and Kampong Chhnang (8 families). The National Committee for Leading the Implementation of the Land Grant and Forest Protection Program for Sustainable Development (NCLPF) was established by Royal Decree on November 6, 2024, with Prime Minister Hun Manet as its chairman.