Prime Minister Holness Reaffirms Commitment to Solving Jamaica’s Housing Crisis as Government Accelerates Efforts to Deliver 70,000 Homes
Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has reiterated his administration’s unwavering commitment to addressing Jamaica’s housing challenges by accelerating the pace of housing developments, especially for the middle to low-income households.
Prime Minister Holness emphasized that the government is taking active and strategic steps through a mix of private-public partnerships, expanded construction, and targeted social interventions to meet its target of 70,000 housing solutions.
Dr. Holness highlighted that the Government is supporting low-income families through the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP), which targets the most vulnerable Jamaicans.
An estimated 6,000 Jamaicans are currently living in some of the most deplorable housing conditions across the island.
“So far, we have either constructed and delivered or have currently under construction, approximately 330 units. So, we are moving steadily towards reducing that number and we will be scaling up very rapidly,” Dr. Holness said.
In addition to social housing, the Prime Minister highlighted the broader momentum in the housing sector.
“The truth is that the housing market is doing quite well particularly for private houses and private developments, but where we do have a challenge is in providing affordable housing and low-income housing solutions,” the Prime Minister noted.
To tackle this, the Government is expanding the role of the National Housing Trust (NHT) and the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ).
Currently, the NHT has over 19,000 housing solutions in various stages of construction, while the HAJ is managing approximately 4,000 units.
The Prime Minister added that the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) is also preparing thousands of acres for future residential developments, with a focus on accessibility and affordability.
“What we have decided to do is to increase the number of lots that are available for development and those are coming on stream,” the Prime Minister explained.
Despite challenges related to land availability and lengthy approval processes, Prime Minister Holness said his administration continues to lead one of the most robust housing expansions in the country’s history.
“In total, we will be building 70,000 housing solutions for Jamaicans to significantly reduce this housing deficit that exists,” Prime Minister Holness affirmed.
With construction booming and a clear strategy in place to reach Jamaicans across the income spectrum, the government is working steadfastly to ensure every Jamaican has access to safe, secure, and dignified housing.
The Prime Minister was speaking on Friday (May 9) in St. Elizabeth where he handed over 5 new homes to beneficiaries in the parish.
Earlier in the day a social housing unit was also handed over to a grateful beneficiary in Manchester under the New Social Housing Programme.