By Mickella Anderson-Gordon
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – The government of Jamaica will launch a new layer of social housing intervention, aimed at improving the living conditions of more Jamaicans, says prime minister, Andrew Holness during the handover of three units under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) in St Mary on January 10, 2025.
“We know that the benefit (of the NSHP) is in a way limited to the family and there have been persons who have been saying to us when they see the programme, that we need to have another layer…that there are persons who will need assistance to complete a roof, to complete their bathrooms, windows, that is almost like giving them a brand new house,” prime minister Holness added.
“So, we have contemplated this and very shortly, I will be launching… the Building Grant Programme where we do from time to time, give a grant to qualified persons. We are looking at a new programme now that will seek to address the conditions of housing generally across the country, that once we have assessed the home as being in need, we will try to ensure that the house has at least one secure room.”
Prime Minister Holness said the need for such a programme became apparent after the experience of hurricane Beryl last July.
“Several houses were just totally destroyed and lost roofing, but if they had one secure roof, one secure room or one secure part of the building, the dislocation that happened would have been minimized,” the prime minister pointed out. Under the NSHP, over 300 families across the country have received new homes.