The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Thursday announced that some $59 million in Home Improvement Subsidies have been disbursed to a total of 118 low-income families in Sophia.
The signing of the contracts for the distribution of the grants was held with the beneficiaries at the Section ‘C’ Turkeyen (Sophia) recreational facility on Thursday afternoon.
According to a release from the CH&PA, the subsidies were distributed under the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUHAP), which is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Before the signing event, each beneficiary participated in sensitisation sessions, which allowed them to raise concerns and queries with officials from the CH&PA’s Projects, Community Development and Legal Departments.
The home improvement subsidies will be no more than $500,000 for each household selected and takes the form of building materials for repairs to walls, floors, electrical works and sanitation improvements, among others. All beneficiaries are individuals in vulnerable households, living in structures considered to not be habitable. These are also persons who own the said property and would have applied and prequalified for the programme.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal in his address at the event said that the “programme will improve the housing conditions of citizens in these communities, increase their access to critical infrastructure, as well as, enhance mobility and safety.”
He also referenced the infrastructural works done and informed that through the programme a total of $1.5 billion was spent on the upgrade of twelve kilometres of asphalted concrete roads, concrete bridges, concrete walkways and drainage culverts, among other projects in Sophia communities. In addition, a new $51.3 million multi-purpose facility is being built at the Section ‘C’ Turkeyen recreational ground.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, spoke of the construction of housing units in Sophia while explaining that the overall aim of the government is to reduce stigma and discrimination attached to the area.
“We will develop and transform the face of Sophia, people must no longer associate Sophia with fear [and] that is something that must be eliminated within our first term in office,” Rodrigues declared.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer, of the CH&PA, Sherwyn Greaves pointed out that the country currently faces a housing deficit which has resulted in “overcrowding and reducing quality of life.” As such AHUAP plays an important role in government’s response for more sustainable housing solutions.
In addition to the Home Improvement Subsidies, the Ministry through CH&PA also distributed cash grants to three farmers totalling $640,000, and seventeen Income Allowance Entitlements, valued $554,000 to business owners. These other two components fall under AHUAP’s Livelihood Restoration Plan to compensate persons who were displaced during the infrastructure works in Sophia. Cash entitlements were determined based on the daily income (profits) accruing from businesses/commercial activity reported by the persons who were displaced and recorded during the socio-economic survey, the release added.
