Chang Confident of Achieving Housing Target

Minister of Water and Housing, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, is confident that the Government will deliver on its commitment to ramp up housing development over the next few years, in order to provide affordable solutions for lower income Jamaicans.
Dr. Chang, speaking at his post-Sectoral press briefing at the Ministry yesterday (July 2), said that the critical difference in approaching housing development, is the coming together of a team that comprises all the critical agencies.
“The Housing Agency, the (National) Housing Trust, and the Ministry, along with NEPA (National Environment and Planning Agency) are in close consultation with the National Contracts Commission at all times, as well as the (National) Water Commission, and other agencies that are relevant to housing, so that we can get quick decisions on any plans we are doing, from an environmental and physical point of view, and once we have the decision, we can move,” he stated.
This collaboration, he said, is key to achieving the target of 10,000 housing solutions this year.
“This is critical to resolving a need for housing in the low income working market, as well as to come to grips with our squatter problem. If we are containing informal settlements, we have to provide viable and affordable alternatives,” he stated, noting that the move will restore credibility to public sector delivery of housing solutions and lead to a greater level of co-operation in dealing with the issue of informal settlements.