With 6000 new applications for house lots made this year alone, the Central Housing and Planning Authority intends to ensure that there is more land allocation made to the “small man” or those considered in the lower-income brackets.

Those 6000 new applications have brought the total number of active applications to over 60,000.

At an end-of-year press conference, the Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Lelon Saul said the Authority will continue to subsidize the cost of housing to ensure citizens are able to acquire house lots.

“At this agency, we provide housing for the entire nation and that is why we have this huge demand here. Many people who come to CHPA could go on the open market and purchase land or houses and maybe we will need to review that because as the country’s economy improves we will need to review that. Those who have the means, need to go on the open market and purchase house lot and houses. Don’t come here, we are for the small man”, Mr. Saul noted.

He said he does not want to come across as discriminatory, but when one sees the living conditions of many working-class citizens, it is clear that more needs to be done for them.

For 2019 so far, the Central Housing and Planning Authority has allocated 1,298 house lots, which exceeds the target that was set.

The Housing CEO was clear to point out that the Authority will continue to put systems in place to ensure every citizen has a roof over their heads.

He announced that 1400 acres of land was recently purchased from Guysuco for housing development.

The Central Housing and Planning Authority will also be looking to strengthen its enforcement arm to address issues related to persons who were allocated house lots and government housing but not taking occupying.

Operations Director of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Denise King-Tudor told reporters that there are a number of reasons why persons may have been slow in occupying government housing allocated to them.

She said the Authority would write them and invite them to meetings as the initial steps and that could be followed up by a stronger response if the non-occupation continues.

There have been cases where persons decided to give up their allocation after being unable to meet the financial requirements for the commercial banks.

The Authority is also concerned about those who have met all requirements but are still not occupying their homes.

With the need for more housing solutions to be made available, Tudor said in some of those instances, the persons should simply just go into the Authority and make it known that they may no longer be interested in an allocated house or house lot.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Annette Ferguson said the government will continue with its push for affordable housing solutions. She said a number of projects are to come on stream in the new year that will benefit citizens more.

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