“Core Home Support continues to meet our most vulnerable population” Min. Rodrigues
June 7, 2024: Staying true to its vision of providing a better quality of life for all, another five families today received keys to their brand-new homes under the Core Home Support Programme.
The Handing over signals new beginnings for these families who once had to endure less-than-desirable living conditions.
Minister Susan Rodrigues, Minister within the Ministry, shared in the proud moment with the Stanfords, Duncan, and Paul families earlier this afternoon as she handed over the keys and Certificate of Inspection.
Mr. Leon Standford, his wife, and two children will soon be moving into their new home in Westminster, and so will Ms. Helena Duncan, and her family of four, while Ms. Sophia Paul, along with her three children and one granddaughter, will be moving into her home at Rect-door-zee, West Bank Demerara.
Having received his keys, Mr. Standford expressed his gratitude to the Inter-America Development Bank, the government, and the Ministry’s team, whom he said were relentless in seeing the project to the end.
For years, Mr. Standford and his family occupied a wooden structure and recently demolished it to pave the way for the construction of his new home, once he learned he had qualified for the Core Home under the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Program.
“We had a small wooden house and I didn’t have all the convenience, I have a wife and two kids one of my daughters is writing CXC and now we all have a place we can call home”
Similar sentiments were expressed by Ms. Duncan who said it finally feels great to have her own home without the fear of being asked to vacate at any time, and she can finally put her personal touch on making the house a home for herself, two daughters, and granddaughter.
For Ms. Sophia Paul, moving into her own home, marks the end of her paying thousands of dollars in rent.
Meanwhile, on the occasion, Minister Rodrigues congratulated the first-time homeowners, noting that she is pleased to see that the program is meeting its intended target audience.
“The Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Program is a main feature in our housing program and targets the most vulnerable population and that is through the Core Home Support component, and this allows families to acquire a home almost free of cost.”. Each home, which features two bedrooms, a kitchen unit, and indoor sanitary facilities, is valued at $5 M with a financial contribution from the homeowners of $100,000.
Since the start of the program in 2017, a total of one hundred and five-families have received keys to their homes to date.
Under the Core Home Support initiative, a total of three hundred and twenty-three beneficiaries have been selected, 96 Core Homes are occupied, 16 are under construction, another 8 will be handed over soon and 188 are at the procurement stage. In Region Three, West Bank Demerara, 124 beneficiaries were selected, 50 homes were handed over, 40 were occupied, and 64 were at the procurement stage.
Photos: Sydel Thomas, Central Housing & Planning Authority PR Department