THE Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) on Friday commenced payout of the Jubilee Year Home Improvement Subsidy, with 259 homeowners each receiving vouchers worth $50,000.These 259 recipients represent the total persons that were deemed eligible for the subsidy of the total 494 applications that were sent in to the CH&PA. Eligibility for the recipients was decided based on income, status of payment for the house lots, occupancy of the house lots, and the type of works that needed or were intended to be done.

A total of $15 million had been budgeted for the project, which was intended to target some 300 awardees after the CHPA had issued 732 application forms, free of cost, all across Guyana. The 300 awardees catered for were reportedly to be selected by a lottery system. However, with only 259 households deemed eligible, all applicants were automatic recipients.

The Jubilee Year Home Improvement Subsidy is a sequel to the Home Improvement Subsidy Pilot project that concluded last year.

The vouchers, distributed at a presentation ceremony at the Authority’s head office in Brickdam, Georgetown, are expected to be used by recipient families to purchase hardware items to improve their homes.
The vouchers are redeemable at prequalified suppliers in all the regions except Region Eight.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson, has said this initiative is part of the Government’s efforts to raise the affordability of housing in Guyana.

According to Patterson, there is no better time than the present to start looking at adequate and affordable housing, particularly because of the hazard that inadequate housing presents.

“With thousands of Guyanese families living in substandard housing, the need for decent, adequate, affordable shelter has never been more urgent,” Patterson said; adding, “The lack of affordable housing significantly impacts families the world over, and Guyana is not immune to this (impact). Substandard housing is a major public health issue; there is a direct link between poor quality housing and ill health. The way to eradicate this is to provide adequate, affordable housing.”

The project targets households in housing schemes and regularised squatter settlements in all of the regions with the exception of Region Eight. The minister happily pointed out that the largest number of recipients –- 109 — came from Region Three.
Persons had sent in applications to the CHPA after the initiative had been advertised in the daily newspapers and by various regional democratic councils, municipal councils, and neighbourhood democratic councils.
The application period began on June 20th and ended on July 31, 2016.

CH&PA Board Member Bert Carter spoke at the presentation on behalf of Board Chairman Hamilton Green, who could not be at the ceremony on account of his having to attend Parliament.