THE People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government has been persistent in its efforts to ensure every Guyanese citizen has the opportunity to become a homeowner.
The government inherited a backlog of 75,509 housing applications when it took office in August 2020.

However, this figure did not deter the PPP/C administration from carrying out its ambitious housing plan to deliver 50,000 house lots during its first term in office.
Through deliberate policies, the government has exceeded its house-lot target in less than five years by delivering over 50,000 house lots to Guyanese from every income bracket, which stands in sharp contrast to just over 7,000 lots that were distributed by the previous administration during its entire tenure in office.

In a single year, the PPP/C government’s house-lot allocation surpassed what the previous administration allocated between 2015 to 2020.
According to the statistics from the Ministry of Housing and Water, 47 per cent of the house lots that were allocated were given to women, while 90 per cent went to low-income families.
Speaking at a public rally in Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara, on Sunday, Leader of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Aubrey Norton said, “They said they were going to

deliver 50,000 house lots; they failed”. This statement directly contradicts the government’s delivery of over 50,000 lots.

To give Guyanese who lack the financial means to obtain access to a mortgage, Norton also suggested a rent-to-own programme without providing any details about how it would translate into home-ownership.

The government, on the other hand, has implemented a series of housing programmes to help Guyanese realise their dreams of owning a home, such as low interest rates at the local banks, and providing them with thousands of dollars in steel-and-cement vouchers.

Under the steel-and-cement subsidy programme, over 2,000 individuals across the country have received vouchers totalling over $500 million since 2022.
Homebuilders are provided with one sling of cement and the required steel to build the foundation of houses costing $6 million or less.

Those constructing homes valued between $6 million and $25 million are provided with two slings of cement, and the necessary steel to complete the foundation.
Another initiative by the government is the Core Home Support initiative that falls under the $5.8 billion Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP), which targets vulnerable families, and provides them with affordable core homes. The other components of this project are the housing subsidy, and construction of community grounds.

According to Norton, the APNU will create a “house repairs programme” that will give low-income individuals access to resources so they can repair their homes.
It should be noted that Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo announced the $50 million house improvement programme in July 2023 for residents from Laing Avenue and Yarrow Dam in Georgetown.

This initiative has assisted many homeowners of Laing Avenue in conducting much-needed repairs on their homes, significantly improving their living standards. Each recipient is provided with a voucher valued $250,000, and an additional $100,000 to cover labour expenses.

Other initiatives, such as the Hinterland Housing and the Lethem Housing Support Programmes, were developed to ensure hinterland residents also have equitable access to affordable housing.
Since taking office in August 2020, the government has developed housing schemes in every administrative region.
More than $250 billion has been invested in establishing 95 new housing schemes countrywide, compared to the three housing areas that were developed between 2015 to 2020. (DPI)