Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government has secured an additional $400 million for the indigent housing programme. The Housing, Opportunity, Production, and Employment programme (HOPE), which was initiated by the Prime Minister, and launched in 2018, focuses on the building of two-bedroom and three-bedroom houses specifically.
Speaking at a recent handover of a three-bedroom house to a family in his West Central St. Andrew constituency, the Prime Minister said more than 500 units could be built during the current financial year with the additional funds. He noted that the HOPE programme is being expanded, and ways are being explored to get it done cheaper and to put more resources into the construction of the houses. The PM notes very soon we will be able to scale it up.
Prime Minister Holness says one of the major criteria to benefit from the programme, is for persons to prove they can not afford a mortgage. He said they will pay back by caring for the units, be outstanding citizens in their communities, and be representatives of peace.
An initial $500 million was budgeted for the programme, and the Prime Minister noted that approvals have been done for 259 units from a list of 327 submissions; 49 of which have already been completed. The HOPE programme was developed to improve the housing condition of Jamaica’s indigent population. The houses under the HOPE initiative are distributed equally to all 63 constituencies.
