The Housing Initiative in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia faced several barriers over the past decade. Demand- and supply-side issues led to an acute shortage of affordable housing. On the demand side, the absence of a mortgage law—and the difficulty of Sharia-compliant workarounds—delayed the creation of financial products for eligible first-time buyers; this has since been resolved, and several products now support homeownership. On the supply side, large tracts of “white land” and limited private-sector interest created long waiting lists and reduced GDP contribution; these were addressed through the white lands tax and PPP projects. The debut of Roshn as a community development company offers promise for placemaking and the creation of sustainable neighborhoods across the Kingdom.