Housing Department examining condos, apartment buildings and rent to own properties to assist with housing

While efforts have been made to reduce that number, the housing project will move on for those persons, especially public servants, who might want to buy a condo or apartment or rent to own. She said there is simply not the availability of land, especially in Region 4, for housing at this time.

Housing Department examining condos, apartment buildings and rent to own properties to assist with housing

Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing, Valerie Patterson, is preparing to move to the national assembly with legislation that would see the age for being able to acquire a plot of land being moved from 21-years-old to 18-years-old.

On Tuesday, the Housing department wrapped up the 7th national consultation exercise on the issue in Georgetown.

Minister Patterson said she still has three more consultation events planned but based on the consultations so far, in all of the regions that they have visited, citizens are supportive of the move.

She also told the Georgetown consultation that the government will be moving ahead with a plan to look at the construction of condominiums and apartment complexes to assist with housing.

She said when she took office in January, she found over 25,000 applications for house lots.

While efforts have been made to reduce that number, the housing project will move on for those persons, especially public servants, who might want to buy a condo or apartment or rent to own.  She said there is simply not the availability of land, especially in Region 4, for housing at this time. 

“The ones that we are building, if you see them, you would run for them. Because they will be well designed and well landscaped with parking areas and open spaces and these will go at a reasonable price. But we have not yet worked out the price. We have not yet tendered for the building, However, we are determined to bring the cost down as low as possible”. 

She explained that the Ministry is now looking at expression of interests from companies that might be interested in construction.

The Minister also noted that the government has not yet decided whether the project will be a full government project or whether it will have a private sector input. But she made it clear that state employees and low income earners will be given preference.

The announcement was welcomed by those who gathered but the minister explained that prices have not been worked out as yet, but she will ensure its affordable and that the quality of work that will be done on the buildings will be of a high standard.

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