NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The need for affordable public housing in The Bahamas has become so great that the demand has “far surpassed” the current availability of lots, Housing and Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said yesterday.
Coleby-Davis lamented the country’s public housing challenges during her contribution to the mid-year budget debate yesterday.
“One of the greatest forms of human empowerment is homeownership,” she said.
“Sadly, over the last few years and under the former administration, not much progress has been made in creating and delivering affordable housing solutions.”
She said: “It is a sad fact, that while some of our Caribbean counterparts have opened new public housing subdivisions, we in The Bahamas have remained stagnant.”
Coleby-Davis said that after only eight months in office her ministry has broken ground on two housing subdivisions – Pine Crest in New Providence and Central Pines in Abaco.
“The Department of Housing, through its two housing fairs so far, has received hundreds of applications from Bahamians for homes and is working diligently to review and process each application,” she said.
“Given the great demand for public housing; my team and I recognize the need for the revitalization of the Department of Housing. Our focus is to transition the Department to a relationship building and customer centric format.”
She underscored that the debt obligations of many potential homeowners, particularly in the public service has presented serious challenges to them attaining homeownership.
Coleby-Davis said that in the next few months her ministry is expected to launch a Homeownership Education program or course to equip public servants with financial tips and the necessary insight on steps to take to qualify for a mortgage.
“By having the Department of Housing conduct and deliver this training course, the Department will be able to not only identify persons for public housing opportunities, but also seek to address a serious national concern,” said Coleby-Davis.
“In the budget for 2022/2023, my Ministry intends to seek an increase to the capital budget for the Department of Housing for new housing subdivisions in New Providence, Abaco, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, and Andros.”
