Gov’t to look at helping Jamaicans undertake repairs to their homes - PM

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness says the Government will be moving to expand its social housing programme to assist Jamaicans who are in need to repair or partially rebuilt their homes as it seeks to improve their circumstances.

The Government’s New Social Housing Programme, which was established by Holness, provides newly built homes to vulnerable Jamaicans.

Speaking at a social housing handing over in Sommerton, St James today, the Prime Minister noted that he has heard the views of Jamaicans who have called for assistance to improve their homes.

It has been argued that help should be provided to homeowners who need assistance to undertake repairs or partial rebuild their dwellings.

Holness pointed out that from surveying the damage to the housing stock cause by Hurricane Beryl last July, much of the dislocation of households were due to substandard roofing construction practices and the advance stage of deterioration and disrepair of the structure.

He indicated that as the country seeks to improve the housing stock for poor households and make them resilient to Climate Change, the government will develop a programme aimed at not only assisting qualified households with repairs but targeting the repairs to creating at least one Climate Resilient, “strong room” in each approved dwelling.

This new element of the social housing programme is likely to be launched in the coming weeks.

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