Construction to begin soon on 188 more core homes

More Guyanese will soon have access to new homes to enhance their living conditions, as construction is set to begin on 188 additional homes under the Core Homes Support initiative.

The project offers low-income families the chance to own a new 20ft x 20ft two-bedroom concrete house for a contribution of just $100,000.

It falls under the $5.8 billion (US$28 million) Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP), funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and executed through the Ministry of Housing and Water.

Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues explained Friday last that the works are being advanced to complete the houses and to distribute them soonest.

“So, those we are hoping to complete in the coming months so we can hand them over, already bringing our total to about 323 core home beneficiaries,” she said during the handing over ceremony of five houses in Region Three.

Minister Rodrigues stressed that programmes like these are designed to target low-income families in vulnerable communities.

She noted that the aim is to provide homes and improve these families’ overall quality of life by ensuring they have access to secure and comfortable living environments.

Under the AHUAP, some 250 core homes will be constructed in targeted areas in Regions Three and Four. These properties are built at $5 million each.

Since the inception of this programme, 110 houses have been handed over to beneficiaries in areas such as La Parfaite Harmonie, Sophia, Hope, Onderneeming, and Westminster.

Currently, 16 core homes are under construction.

Through the initiative, infrastructural works are being carried out in communities. These include rehabilitating and constructing the community grounds, drainage and road networks, and the installation of streetlights.

Another significant component of AHUAP is the Home Improvement Subsidy. This initiative provides low-income families living in substandard conditions access to building materials worth up to $500,000.    

The subsidy supports a range of essential repairs, including walls, floors, electrical systems, and sanitation improvements, and other works.

Applications for the core home support and home improvement subsidy programme have now closed.