Ministry of Housing and the Environment Launches ‘Neighbourhood Upgrade Programme’

“Our purpose at the Ministry and that of the many agencies that fall under the purview of the Ministry with respect to the housing sector are committed to solving the nation’s housing problem through a multifaceted approach. An approach that promotes self- reliance, builds capacity, ensures affordability and equity, and preserves the environment for current and future generations.”  

The Neighbourhood Upgrading Programme is being administered by the Ministry of Housing and the Environment (MHE) through the Programme Monitoring and Coordinating Unit (PMCU) under an IDB Loan of US$50M (inclusive of US$10M GORTT counterpart funding). The goal of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT/IDB) Assisted Housing Programme is to enhance the quality of life of low and middle income groups, and thus promote the equitable development of wholesome and sustainable communities, in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It comprises three (3) components:

(1)   Component 1 – Squatter Regularisation and Upgrading (US$25M): This component provides for the regularisation of squatters and physical upgrading of some twenty five (25) communities by the Land Settlement Agency (LSA) under the State Lands (Regularisation of Tenure), Act 25 of 1998 and successor legislation. This also involves the granting of property titles by the Land Settlements Agency to some 8,477 beneficiaries, and the upgrade of several squatter communities which would benefit approximately 5,360 families.

(2)   Component 2 - New Home and Home Improvement Subsidy (US$17M): This involves the granting of matching subsidies to eligible lower income beneficiaries of some 2,000 families for home improvement, and the construction of incremental housing for some 1,530 households. This component provides for the delivery of housing solutions as follows:

(3)   Component 3 - Sector and Institutional Strengthening (US$8M): This component will contribute to strengthening the policy formulation and implementation capacity of the Ministry of Housing and the Environment and its Agencies. It includes, inter alia, the review of land laws of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and the amendment of the LSA Act to facilitate grant of title to beneficiaries and squatter containment.

The Loan Contract No. 2469 was signed by the IDB on February 8^th 2011. The Ministry met all thirteen (13) conditions of the IDB, precedent to first loan disbursement by September 20^th 2011.  This process was one of the fastest ever undertaken between the Ministry and the IDB.

For the 2011/20121 fiscal period, the PMCU aims to:

-      disburse home improvement subsidies to approximately 600 beneficiaries;

-      develop six (6) model homes, with plans for beneficiaries to build at a cost of $200,00.00TT in Trinidad and at a cost of $220,000.00TT in Tobago

-      disburse sixty-one (61) home construction or purchase subsidies of sums up $50,000.00 TT

-      grant of outstanding titles to some eight hundred and thirty-five (835) beneficiaries through the LSA.

For this programme, it is envisaged that the injection of more than $300M TT over the next three (3) to five (5) years, will play a significant role in stimulating the economy and generating employment, particularly through small and medium enterprises.

The PMCU and the LSA can be contacted at 623-4663 ext 2170/3028 respectively for more details.