AS the government pursues its ambitious plan to construct 40,000 houses within the next five years, Minister of Housing Collin Croal says that residents who already own plots will not be left out, as they will have the opportunity to benefit from upcoming construction programmes.
The minister made these remarks during a recent episode of the ‘Starting Point Podcast,’ where he outlined the government’s comprehensive housing agenda, emphasising equitable access, community development and economic growth as key priorities.

“We’re looking at volumes, as well as the time span, because expediency is also of concern. We have a number of areas we are currently looking at, lands to construct houses, but I also want to say the opportunity exists for those who have already been allocated,” Minister Croal said.
Although the Housing Ministry has already identified several areas where construction will soon begin as part of its ambitious goal to deliver 40,000 houses within five years, Minister Croal said the initiative will also benefit persons who have already applied to the ministry.
Minister Croal said the initiative will involve collaboration with contractors who will showcase different house designs on-site. Banks, according to him, will also be on site to pre-qualify prospective homeowners, facilitating easier access to finance.
The 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 over 70,000 housing applications when it took office in August 2020.
However, this figure did not deter the Irfaan Ali-led 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 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.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Housing, 47 per cent of the house lots that were allocated were given to women, while 90 per cent went to low-income families.
Having surpassed its target of delivering 50,000 house lots, the Ministry of Housing is now tasked with building 40,000 homes over the next five years, in keeping with the government’s 2025 Manifesto promise.
The government has also implemented a series of housing programmes to help Guyanese realise their dream 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 the construction of community grounds.