Smart Energy Grant to Be Extended to Private Sector Pensioners

The Government is looking to expand the Smart Energy Grant to include private sector pensioners.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the disclosure while addressing the groundbreaking ceremony for the Brookside Estate Housing Development in Spot Valley, St. James on April 25.

Under the initiative, implemented in 2024, public sector pensioners can access up to $1.5 million, through the National Housing Trust (NHT) to install energy-saving solar systems in their homes.

Dr. Holness said that 280 households have already benefited from the grant and plans are underway to expand the programme to include private sector retirees, further advancing Jamaica’s renewable energy goals and reducing energy costs for vulnerable groups.

He said that sustainable housing solutions are central to Jamaica’s climate resilience agenda, and “future developments will incorporate green building standards, solar energy, and environmentally-friendly infrastructure to ensure communities are resilient and energy-efficient.”

The Prime Minister noted that the Government’s housing initiatives aim to create thriving communities, not just physical structures.

“In these communities, we are ensuring that infrastructure, energy, water, and transportation are aligned with our long-term development vision,” he said.

Brookside Estate exemplifies this holistic approach, he said, as it is designed to foster social cohesion, economic opportunity, and environmental responsibility.

The project, which is being undertaken by the National Housing Trust (NHT) under its Guaranteed Purchase Programme, will deliver 418 affordable housing units to Jamaicans.

The solutions comprise 240 one bedroom and 178 two-bedroom houses designed to serve a diverse demographic.

Dr. Holness urged the future homeowners to cherish their new homes. “This is more than a house. It is your future. It is the classroom where your children will study, the table where your family will share meals, the front porch where your dreams will grow,” he said.

The Prime Minister told the beneficiaries that the Government’s investment is rooted in a deep belief in their potential and a commitment to building a brighter, more inclusive Jamaica.

He reiterated measures announced in his budget debate presentation in March, to increase access to financing, to enable more Jamaicans to own a home.

These include increasing the loan limits starting July 1. “The new limits will be $9 million for individuals (up from $7.5 million); $17 million for two co-applicants (up from $15 million); and $23 million for three co-applicants (up from $21 million),” the Prime Minister pointed out.

In addition, for homes priced at or below $14 million, the individual loan limit will be set at $12 million, and for contributors earning less than $30,000 weekly, the deposit requirement for open market loans will be reduced from five per cent to two per cent, and the service charge will be eliminated altogether, removing significant barriers to homeownership.

More than 19,000 new houses are projected over the next two years, reflecting a national push toward expanding access to affordable options.