Govt to reclaim derelict lots for new housing drive

The government is preparing to reclaim and repurpose derelict and abandoned properties across the island to create new housing opportunities, while also fast-tracking plans to transfer title deeds to long-standing tenants in public housing estates, a senior civil servant told Parliament on Wednesday.

During the House Estimates hearings on the appropriations for housing, the acting deputy general manager of the National Housing Corporation (NHC) and the chief planning officer, Raymond Lorde, said authorities are exploring ways to convert neglected structures into viable housing solutions as part of efforts to expand the island’s housing stock.

Lorde explained that the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to make better use of existing land and infrastructure.

“One of the things we’re looking at along the larger sites is to look at the derelict houses out of the EPD notices to see where we can access those housing units, those derelict houses,” he said. “We are running a project now to identify a minimum of 20 to perfect an instrument that will allow us to access those lands. Those are private lands.”

He noted that the aim is to identify properties that can be incorporated into smaller housing developments, particularly in areas where utilities and other services are already in place.

“So where we can go into smaller housing areas and extract some housing, some lots, we will do that,” Lorde added.

The government is working through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Maintenance to advance what he described as a new Derelict Housing Revision Project, in collaboration with both the NHC and the Rural and Urban Development Commission (RUDC).

The initiative is intended to “open up lands that already have services attending to them which will give government a large ease in terms of its expenditure”, he said. But he stressed that the process hinges on establishing a sound legal framework.

“We have to perfect the legal instrument by which we do it so that is why we’re running a pilot on it right now,” he said.

Minister of Housing Chris Gibbs confirmed that the government is also pressing ahead with plans to transfer title deeds to residents who have occupied NHC housing units for more than 20 years.

He was responding to concerns raised by St Michael North West MP, Neil Rowe, about tenants who have lived in their homes for decades but are still paying rent to the NHC.

“We are committed to transferring title to these individuals in your estates that have been living in the estates for more than 20 years,” Gibbs said.

Once tenants have no arrears covering the first 20 years, the government will work with them to address any outstanding rent accrued after that period, he said.

Describing the measure as one rooted in fairness, Gibbs said: “I consider this issue an issue of social justice, and the truth is, is a lot of your residents in the estates have been good paying residents, and certainly, the ministry and the NHC will not burden them once they have been good paying tenants up to the 20 years.”

He disclosed that the process has already begun in some communities.

“As you know, we have already begun the work of transferring title to some of your residents who are in Deacons and Fernihurst.”