Over 300 units to be built under New Social Housing Programme by year-end

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says that by the end of the year, over 300 units will be built under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP).

Speaking on Friday at the handing over of three units in Northern Clarendon, Holness stated this is the “248th unit under the New Social Housing Programme. We have 53 units in varied stages of completion, so by the end of the year, we will be well over 300 units built”.

He explained that the NSHP provides a social safety net for vulnerable persons in relation to shelter. 

“Under the New Social Housing Programme we construct an entire unit for an assessed household, meaning that the beneficiary goes through a process of social investigation where we look at the economic and social circumstances of the household to determine whether or not they meet the set criteria,” the prime minister stated.

“Meaning firstly that they have no income or means by which they can purchase or acquire proper shelter. If they are senior citizens, elderly, or the household is such that they have young children, pregnant and lactating mothers. So we try to be very strategic in targeting the beneficiaries.”

The latest beneficiaries under the NHSP are Beverly Howell, who received a one-bedroom unit; Pholando Clayton, who received a two-bedroom unit and Everal Thomas of Stewarton, Clarendon, who received a three-bedroom unit.

To date, more than 860 individuals, across 57 of the 63 constituencies have received units under the NSHP.  In North Central Clarendon, seven housing units have been completed, benefitting 24 individuals. Additionally, a total of 75 projects, or 242 units comprising 419 rooms, are expected to commence between now and the 2025/26 financial year.

Meanwhile, the prime minister pointed out that the NSHP is only one element of the Government's total policy for housing in Jamaica in which it has committed to the construction of 70,000 new units across the island.

Of that number, the National Housing Trust (NHT) is responsible for the construction of 43,000 units. Holness further explained that the NHT is in an advanced stage, with close to 30,000 units of the 43,000 in various stages of construction.

“The NHT has 5,081 solutions that are in various stages of completion. They have 10,680 units in contracts, meaning that they have gone through procurement, (and) they have engaged with the contractors to start construction,” he noted.

“They have 16,867 solutions in the procurement process, meaning that they are now engaging with various contractors through procurement to determine who will actually do the construction.”

The prime minister added that the remaining units are in the planning process, with the NHT in the process of finalising designs, acquiring lands and getting the necessary permits and approvals.

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