Construction Costs Being Reduced Under Social Housing Programme
By: , June 6, 2022
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (4th left), cuts the ribbon to officially hand over a three-bedroom unit in Lime Walk, St. Catherine on Friday (June 3) to New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) beneficiary, Beverly Toban (third left). Ohers sharing the moment (from left) are: Member of Parliament for St. Catherine North Central, Natalie Neita Garvey; Councillor for the Angel’s Division, Patricia Harris; Councillor for the Ensom City Division, George Moodie; and Chairperson of the NSHP Oversight Committee, Judith Robb Walters.
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, addresses a ceremony for the official hand over of a three-bedroom unit under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) in Lime Walk, St. Catherine on Friday (June 3).
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left), and Member of Parliament for St. Catherine North Central, St. Catherine, Natalie Neita Garvey (right), tour a three-bedroom home in Lime Walk, St. Catherine on Friday (June 3), which was built under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP). Beneficiary, Beverly Toban (foreground), leads the tour.The Full Story
Construction costs for dwellings under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) are steadily declining and are expected to be reduced even further.
Speaking at the hand over of a three-bedroom house in Lime Walk, St. Catherine on Friday (June 3), Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, informed that the units are being built at a cost of $5.5 million, coming down from $7 to $8 million.
“As we have improved the processes, we are getting the prices coming down, and we are confident that we can go a little bit lower. We would have to change the nature of the construction and technology involved, which we are planning to do,” he said.
He noted that with the lower construction costs, the Government has been able to build more units to improve the housing condition of the country’s most needy population.
The NSHP, which Mr. Holness conceptualised and implemented in 2018, consists of three modalities – the provision of indigent housing [five per constituency, per annum]; relocation of vulnerable communities, giving priority to persons in imminent danger; and the upgrading of tenement yards.
The Prime Minister said that the houses being provided under the NSHP give a sense of security to the beneficiaries.
“The Government is always seeking to ensure that all citizens have a minimum standard of shelter for their security and safety against natural disasters,” he said, noting that this is especially important as the hurricane season begins.
The NSHP is being executed by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation under the Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment Programme (HOPE).
Member of Parliament for St. Catherine North Central, Natalie Neita Garvey, said that owning a home adds wealth and value to families for generations to come.
“So, this is a big deal. My thanks to the Prime Minister on this initiative, and I am pleased with the kind of structures being built. This looks good for a family,” she said.
An elated beneficiary, Beverly Toban, expressed gratitude on behalf of her family.
“I am appreciative for the house because before, I was living in a deplorable condition,” she said.