Work is still ongoing by the National Housing Corporation (NHC) to bring its database, which comprises persons who have applied for housing solutions, up-to-date.
Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance, Dr. William Duguid, said “there are thousands” of applicants to go through and so far that organisation has “called about over 3,000 people already and we continue to call, e-mail, multiple calls until we get that list cleaned so we know exactly how many people are still looking for solutions”.
He spoke to the media at NHC’s Land Fair yesterday at Lancaster Phase 3, St. James where lots were sold at $15 per square feet. This is the second fair which has been staged in recent weeks. The previous was at Deanstown Heights, St. James on August 15.
The Housing Minister said presently, “the need for housing is tremendous” in the island. He added the NHC is working assiduously to improve this situation for members of the public.
“When we looked at the number of applications in the National Housing Corporation between for houses, for lots, for units, there are thousands and thousands. We are in fact going through that list now, calling people, asking them, ‘Have you found a solution or are you still interested?’ Weeding out the ones that are no longer interested, getting a list of more accurate and up-to-date list, so that we can use that and be able to invite people whenever we have these opportunities.”
Duguid also told the media that there is “a tremendous need for units as well”. This is an area the NHC is working on to make places available.
“In addition to doing the house lots and doing the houses, the National Housing Corporation, we are also committed to building some units as well for rental because it is not every single person that will be able to afford a house or a house spot. So everything is full steam ahead on all fronts for the National Housing Corporation.” (MG)