The ministry of construction, housing, municipalities and public works held a scientific symposium on the future of housing and residential needs in the Iraqi city in the presence of His Excellency the minister Dr. Ann Nafie Awsi and representative of rector of University of Baghdad, Prof. Dr. Osama Fadhil Abdul Latif, Undersecretary of the ministry Istabrak Ibrahim al-Shouk, dean of the center for urban and regional planning for postgraduate studies Assistant Prof. Dr. Abdul Hussein al-Askari and a number of researchers and housing specialists. The symposium dealt with three main axes, the first shed light on modernization of the national housing policy program in Iraq for 2017, the second addressed a presentation by the ministry of planning on poverty reduction strategy and the national program for settlement and rehabilitation of squatter communities in Iraq while the third axis was presented by dean of the center Assistant Prof. Dr. Abdul Hussein al- Askari on the role of modernizing urban and rural housing standards in Iraq and the effect of this problem as well as its repercussions on society. Several recommendations were submitted in this quest for re-evaluation of existing challenges and potentials for updating these standards in line with the quality of life of the inhabitants.