IDB-funded housing programme taken to Sophia

The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) yesterday launched its first Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme at ‘C’ Field, Sophia. 

According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) press release, the programme which is being done in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), started last year and provides two housing initiatives; the Core Home Support and Home Improve-ment Subsidy.

The Core Home Support offers a 400 square foot, flat concrete building, at a cost of $4 million. Qualified applicants are required to make a downpayment of $100,000 towards the construction while the Home Improving Subsidy provides a grant of $500,000 for materials.

The project will be executed in four districts; areas in Georgetown, Industry to LBI on the East Coast Demerara, Eccles to Diamond/Grove on the East Bank Demerara and La Parfait Harmonie in Region Three.

Senior Community Development Officer for CH&PA, Antonette Bennet, said the application process for the project was started on November 1, 2018 and will be closed on February 1, 2019.

She added that applicants can be registered and be interviewed on the spot. This will be followed by a verification visit by field officers, once applicants are deemed eligible.

Persons who wish to qualify for the Core Home Support must be living in a regularised squatting area or a CH&PA-allocated Housing Scheme and must be prepared to present the necessary documents when applying.