Housing Agency to Hand Over 2,000 Titles to Norwood Residents

Some 2,000 lot and home owners of Norwood Phases A, B and C in St. James will receive property titles from the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) later this month.

The delivery of titles is part of the continued efforts by the HAJ to deliver full ownership of lands titles to thousands of persons across the island.

While on a tour of the area recently, Acting Managing Director of the HAJ, Gary Howell, told JIS News that some of the residents have been waiting on their title for several years.

“It’s exciting for me because some of these persons, especially in Section A, they have been waiting for over 20 years for their titles and I know the joy they must be feeling now that they will be getting their titles,” he said.

He expressed confidence that once the titles are in the possession of the residents, they will live up to the responsibilities that come with property ownership, which includes paying mortgage, undertaking proper and authorised development of the lots, as well as ensuring that civic pride is respected and enhanced in the area.

“We have been trying our best to encourage persons to not only pay their mortgages but also to help to maintain their community as something that will improve the value of their (property) and also what they will have to pass on to their family members,” Mr. Howell said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the HAJ, Norman Brown, said the issuing of titles will bring further value to the area.

“When you look at the community of Norwood, it is a community that has billions of dollars of equity tied up in people’s homes, but these people have not been able to complete the transaction to obtain their titles so they do not have access to that equity,” he pointed out.

“When a person is able to have security of tenure it, enhances their own sense of responsibility and citizenry in the community. We are of the view that once we get the titling process completed, it will lead to changes in attitude,” he added.

He added that additional infrastructural works have been planned for Norwood to include the completion of the road and water projects.

Residents of the area are very eager to receive the title for the lots, which they have been occupying for many years.

Shannay Miller, who has been living in Norwood for 15 years, told JIS News that having a title provides a sense of financial security.

“It can also be used as collateral. It’s a very important piece of documentation that I think is necessary to have right now, so to me it’s basically security,” he said.

Videl Whittle, who is also a 15-year resident, said he is glad to finally be receiving his property title.

“It has a lot of value because it says I have something that I can really call my own; not sharing with anybody,” he said.