Ground Broken to Construct 248 Studio Apartments at Howard Avenue in St. Andrew
The Government of Jamaica continues to make homeownership possible for low-income earners breaking ground for the construction of 248 studio apartments at Howard Avenue, St. Andrew on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Prime Minister Andrew Holness underscored that with housing demand on the rise, the National Housing Trust (NHT) continues to create more innovative ideas, projects, and programmes to build more housing solutions for less.
The Prime Minister said: “We are redirecting the policies of the NHT to refocus on houses in the price range of persons at the median income in Jamaica, that is the affordable income segment. This means they are for people who are low to middle-income earners.”
Continuing, the Prime Minister said, “The project that we are breaking ground for today fits neatly into that category of low to middle-income earners, so those earning minimum wage or just above minimum wage, should be able to access financing through the NHT or the private banking system or from their own resources where applicable, to afford one of these 248 units that will be built here.”
The Prime Minister noted that the National Housing Trust has 1505 houses planned for the corporate area which should be within the affordable price range. They are projected to be built in areas such as; Metcalfe Street, Foreshore Estate, Maxfield Park, White Wing Community, Rasta City, Bellrock Community, St. Paul’s Lane Community, Penwood, Bay Farm Road, and Vineyard Town. Housing solutions will also be built in Surbiton and Ruthven Road Phase Two.
The Howard Avenue development is a joint venture with Centauri Real Estate Company Limited (CREC) under the NHT’s Guaranteed Purchase Programme (GPP). The complex will include a children’s play area, drying yard, laundry area, roof garden, jogging trail and other amenities.