Government Doing More to Meet Jamaica’s Housing Demands
The Government of Jamaica has created more avenues to ensure the housing needs of the nation are addressed.
Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says it’s being done through a strategic and results-driven approach to increase the supply of affordable homes for Jamaicans across all income levels.
Speaking on Thursday (June 19) during a New Social Housing Programme housing handover ceremony in St. Thomas, Dr. Holness underscored that the root of Jamaica’s housing crisis is not demand but the shortage of supply.
“The main problem of housing in Jamaica is the supply of houses. If you really want to make an impact on housing, you have to deal with the supply of houses. You have to actually build more houses, and this government is building more houses,” the Prime Minister stated.
Dr. Holness highlighted that the National Housing Trust (NHT), the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ), the Jamaica Mortgage Bank, and the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) are working together to close the housing gap by supporting land access, mortgage financing, and housing construction, especially for low-income earners.
Prime Minister Holness directed the NHT to focus significantly on low-income housing, given that the private market is better positioned to serve middle- and upper-income brackets.
Since that directive, the NHT has advanced plans to deliver 43,000 housing solutions over five years, with 40,637 units already in various stages of implementation:
• 8,353 units under construction
• 7,692 under contract award
• 12,207 in procurement and negotiation
• 10,598 in planning and design
• 2,000 supported through daily mortgage intakes
“These are not just plans on paper. In this year and in the years to come, you’re going to see more houses come on the housing market,” the Prime Minister noted.
In addition to the NHT’s contributions, the Bernard Lodge development is projected to yield 10,000 to 15,000 housing units, while the HAJ is advancing 8,000 to 14,000 others.
Dr. Holness said combined, these efforts put the government on track to surpass the target of 75,000 new housing solutions, which he said is a bold move to stabilize prices, reduce informal settlements, and improve the quality of life for Jamaicans.
In the meantime, the Prime Minister also pointed to the New Social Housing Programme, which continues to make tangible differences for vulnerable families.
“Every week, I am somewhere in Jamaica. I’m coming to a community near you. Today we are handing over five houses. The other day I did seven, and I’ve gone up as many as eight,” Prime Minister Holness shared.
The Prime Minister also reminded everyone that real progress comes from action, not promises.
“Others will promise you houses. We deliver the houses,” Dr. Holness said.