The Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) has only spent 19.9% of the $5.8 billion allocated to it in the 2016 budget and has only achieved 30.5% of revenue, according to Minister responsible for housing in the Ministry of Communities Valerie Adams-Patterson.
Adams-Patterson, who at the time was contributing to the debate of the proposed 2017 national budget in the National Assembly, said she was “definitely not happy to report” the shortcomings and attributed them to the agency being plagued by numerous human resources challenges, including unfilled positions, lack of capacity in some regards, as well as untimely decision-making.
“However, I am confident that this scenario will not continue into 2017 and the budgeted sum will be fully expended by December 31st,” she said on Tuesday.
She also mentioned that the agency had developed 380 housing areas, inclusive of the regularisation of squatting areas, which yielded a total of 66,124 house lots, of which 63,257 were allocated. However, according to her, the occupancy level is only 55%, since 28,220 lots divested to households are still unoccupied. She also reported that 38 housing areas were developed during the 2011 to 2015 period, yielding 20,015 lots, of which 16,273 lots remained unoccupied. She added that it took 42,600 acres to yield the lots at a cost of $12.78B and a further $16.6B is needed to complete the areas.
Adams-Patterson said the low-occupancy rate was due to the inability of awardees to access existing infrastructure, inadequate or non-existent infrastructure, lack of social facilities and services, loss of family support to poor households, and challenges associated with individuals undertaking their own construction.
But next year, she added, the agency is expected to place emphasis on planning with respect to settlement development and land use control and management and to re-focus in accordance with its legislative mandate on low income earners and state employees and youth housing. The agency will also enhance public participation in the housing community development process, she added.
She said the agency will seek to improve the housing delivery system by pursuing a range of settlement development initiatives through the construction of various housing solutions for low income households through partnership with the private sector and civil society organisations.
Twenty-one areas are expected to be regularised next year, with a total of 1,852 lots being made available for regularized housing, she added.
Adams-Patterson said that the strategic direction of the agency will embrace the notion of creating livable and wholesome communities and has to be taken within the context of local governance currently being promoted by the government.
Adams-Patterson reported that a National Housing Strategy will be developed to achieve the goals of expanding the supply of housing, improving affordability and ensuring access to housing and infrastructure to poor families in the context of the development of sustainable and cohesive communities.
A forum will be held during the first quarter of next year with major stakeholders to initiate dialogue and action to enhance the current fragmented planning framework, she added.
The minister also said that there will be consolidation of selected existing housing areas and regularised squatting areas, with focus primarily being placed on the development of low income settlements.
Meanwhile, new communities are expected to offer a range of housing solutions, which include rent-to-own apartments and two-bedroom and three-bedroom houses to cater for the needs of low/moderate income persons.
“The construction of wooden houses is part of the strategy in keeping with the government’s plan of pursing the path of a ‘green economy’ and boosting the local materials industry. It is envisaged that the implementation of the various housing solutions will be achieved through partnerships with the private sector,” the minister told the House.
Adams-Patterson said that during months of consultations, the public showed overwhelming support for the changing of the minimum age requirement from 21 years to 18 years to be eligible to apply for a house lot or a housing unit.
