Housing Minister: We Don’t Want Anyone To Be Turned Away

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Housing Minister is defending funding pumped into the rent-to-own initiative while also sharing plans for the project to continue in New Providence.

With over 2500 applicants, he says you can still sign up, adding that they’re open to negotiating to help you own your very own home.

The government continues to push it’s rent-to-own home initiative here in New Providence and the family islands, and with keys given to dozens of residents so far, and with more homes on the way, where are the funds for these projects coming from?

That’s a question raised by the opposition, but, housing and Urban Renewal Minister, Keith Bell, says it’s the result of good public private partnerships and budgeting.

Keith Bell – Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal

“We’re getting money from that source we’re getting money from the government from our budget and so we have funds that are available to us. And in addition to that even though we know that there are bahamians who are may not necessarily have the deposits we do have bahamians that have saved and saved tremendous sums of morning. Just this morning someone came into my office with $150,000 towards a home purchase. Cash. Last week it was the very same thing. And so we getting substantial deposits in.”

As to the questions one must have.

How do I apply and would I have any luck being chosen?

Keith Bell – Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal

Well, you ought to simply be a Bahamian, simple as that. We are not turning anyone away. As you know the government has embarked on its very aggressively the tent to own program. And so where persons necessarily don’t have the deposit, the down payment or they may very well not necessarily qualify for mortgage, we can still put them in a government home. So we don’t want anyone to be turnt away. Come in and sit with us and even if you have heavy debt, let us put you on a path towards home ownership and restructure your debt.”

The Davis-administration has given away homes here in New Providence, and Abaco.

The most recent initiative in Rock Sound Eleuthera, where four families received the keys to their homes in Ocean Hole Estates.

So, where to next?

Keith Bell – Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal

“We’re coming back to New Providence we have constructing homes presently in an area called Fire Trail Pride Estates. It’s going at renaissance in Carmichael. It will be 300+ subdivision. You’re gonna see very soon we’re going into Perpall Tract at Adastra and we’re going in Pinecrest behind the East Street South police station, we’re coming of St. Vincent Road heading there as well and other scattered areas where we have pockets of properties in different areas.”