NSHP Building Resilience in Housing Stock – PM

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government’s New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) is building resilience in Jamaica’s housing stock, while simultaneously addressing the issue of homelessness across the nation.

Dr. Holness made the declaration while handing over a two-bedroom unit to Denique Groves in Shooters Hill, Bull Bay, St. Andrew, on October 15.

Ms. Groves lost her home in 2020 due to flooding and landslides caused by a severe weather event.

The Prime Minister noted that Jamaica is seeing homelessness in several dimensions.

“We have homelessness where persons are displaced by environmental and climatic conditions, as in this case here where Denique’s house was destroyed after a weather event,” Dr. Holness pointed out.

He said that Shooters Hill, like many other communities across Jamaica, is prone to landslides and land slippage due to the soil type and exposure to extreme weather events, such as heavy rain.

With these communities already well established and settled by residents, the Prime Minister explained that it is not feasible for the Government, at this time, to relocate persons living in precarious locations.

“So, the Government has to have a strategy of mitigating, of putting in the necessary structural support, trying to build the roads in ways that will withstand the scouring of heavy rains, and where possible to support the homes that already exist with building materials, and in the case of Denique, to actually build a home,” Dr. Holness outlined.

He explained that the Government expects to see more homes at risk of weather events and climatic conditions in the coming years, due to the impact of climate change, and the fact that residents are, unfortunately, building homes in areas that are just simply not suited for construction.

“Even though we give warnings and we encourage persons not to build, we notice that persons are building in areas that are formerly river courses. People are choosing to build on hillsides that are very steep, [and] people are building in areas where the land could slip at any time. So, the Government has to be prepared to deal with homelessness that is created by virtue of environmental and other conditions,” the Prime Minister said.

As such, he indicated that one element of the NSHP focuses on persons who are displaced by environmental conditions.

Dr. Holness noted that the Government is also putting in place the safe house policy, “where we will be supporting homes to ensure that there is a safe roof and a safe room in the houses, particularly in those communities that are going to be impacted by weather and climate events”.

He emphasised that the homes being built under the NSHP are made to withstand adverse weather events.

“We have built houses, for example, in Portland Cottage in Clarendon, and I have gone there when areas have been flooded out and that is the only house that wasn’t… . So, we know that this programme is serving multiple purposes. It is definitely dealing with the homeless situation, but it is also part of our climate change resilience building response,” Dr. Holness added.