Housing crisis demands long-term strategy, senators urge

Two Senators on Friday called for a radical reimagining of the country’s approach to the chronic housing shortage, advocating for a 30- to 50-year national plan that transcends political cycles and addresses affordability, climate resilience and sustainable development.

In debate on a government resolution to vest agricultural land at Holder’s Hill, St James into the National Housing Corporation (NHC) for housing development, an independent and a government senator argued that Barbados must move beyond short-term, fragmented housing policies to develop a comprehensive, forward-looking strategy.

Independent Senator Reverend Canon Dr John Rogers criticised decades of disjointed housing initiatives, describing them as a series of disconnected schemes that have failed to provide meaningful solutions.

“Administration after administration has been discussing housing…. None have really come up with a meaningful solution,” he said, urging Parliament to develop a consistent national housing plan that would remain stable regardless of changing governments.

“We’re too small a nation to be trying to turn around the ship every time an administration comes to power. We need to have a national housing plan.”

The independent senator criticised what he described as a pattern of successive administrations introducing new housing schemes with little continuity or long-term thinking.

Rogers recommended a 30- to 50-year vision for housing that would focus on sustainable development and be shielded from political changes.

“We cannot keep making three-year plans,” he said. “This is the eve of our independence—let’s think seriously about what contribution we’re going to make as the Parliament of this country.”

He argued for a bold shift towards highrise housing, which he described as a more efficient use of land and a way to address affordability challenges. By building vertically, he explained, the government could reduce the cost of land per unit and make housing more accessible to lowincome families.

“It cuts out that cost of land that the individual person will have to pay, and perhaps we’ll make things a little more affordable for the people who desperately need housing in this country,” he said.

Canon Rogers, Rector of St George’s Parish Church, also raised concerns about the impact of housing developments on Barbados’ limited green spaces. He highlighted the contradiction between the government’s proposal to build 10 000 homes in five years and the objectives of the Barbados Population Policy, which seeks to preserve sufficient green spaces for future generations.

“Let’s look at the proposal here,” he explained. “The average small house spot is 3 000 square feet…. If you put 10 000 homes on 3 000 square feet, that’s 30 million square feet… about 750 acres, which is just over one square mile.”

He warned that unchecked sprawl could lead to a significant reduction in Barbados’ already scarce green areas.
Joining the call for action, Senator King emphasised the urgency of building homes that can withstand the growing threats posed by climate change. Pointing to the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes, he argued that Barbados must invest in more resilient construction methods.

“If we are expecting… more powerful hurricanes, you can’t go back to building how you used to build,” the government legislator said. “You’re going to have to use concrete. You’re going to have to use steel.”

Senator King acknowledged that the rising costs of these materials posed challenges but maintained that they were essential for ensuring the safety and durability of homes in a changing climate.

“It’s a simple, common-sense thing that you need to do,” he said.

The senator also addressed the social dimensions of the housing crisis, highlighting the struggles of lowincome families and the growing issue of homelessness. Drawing on his background as a social worker, King shared his personal experiences of witnessing extreme poverty.

“I began to see with different eyes the dire straits that happen,” he said.

“It’s not any government’s fault. It’s just that in some instances, families from one generation to the next cannot help themselves.”

The cultural advisor – and renowned calypsonian whose breakout hit in the 1980s was I Want A Plantation – also highlighted the potential for technology to revolutionise both housing and agriculture.

He urged policymakers to embrace modern construction techniques, such as steelframed housing, and to explore innovative agricultural practices like hydroponics and urban farming to maximise land use.

“Let us open our minds to advance,” he said. “If there is technology available that is going to help you to build faster, to build stronger, to be resilient, why not do it?”

Both upper chamber lawmakers emphasised the need for bipartisan cooperation to tackle the housing crisis, with Canon Rogers calling for a unified approach that prioritises the long-term interests of the nation over short-term political gains.

“The best way we can ensure resilience is to have a national plan… politics aside,” he said.

Senator King echoed this sentiment, urging policymakers to adopt a fair and honest approach to the matter: “We have to be fair when we are dealing with these issues. At the end of the day, you are dealing with human beings.” (RG)