Even though mathematically more housing than needed is produced in Egypt resulting in millions of vacant homes, large portions of its residents live in inadequate housing that may lack secure tenure, safe drinking water and wastewater treatment, are crowded or are prone to collapse, as better housing is widely unaffordable. While there is also a problem with homelessness especially amongst children.

Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities (MoHUUC) is responsible for addressing Egypt's housing issues, with a mandate to provide public housing, drinking water and wastewater treatment utilities, and the planning and subdivision of new urban communities. It is headquartered in Cairo since its inception in 1961, and administers the nation's largest real estate developer, the New Urban Communities Authority, and the largest contractor, the Arab Contractors.