Work begins on seven low cost East End homes

| 04/12/2020 | 15 Comments
Cayman News Service
NHDT groundbreaking ceremony in East End (L-R) Councillor Eugene Ebanks, Chris Saunders MP, Opposition Leader Arden McLean, Minister Dwayne Seymour, NHDT Board Chair George Powell, and Project Committee Chair Vincent Frederick

(CNS): The National Housing Development Trust (NHDT) has broken ground on the latest phase of its low cost homes in East End. The construction of the first seven set of affordable houses in phase three of the project is set to begin this month and another 14 houses will also get underway in the first quarter of 2021. Officials said the initiative will also support the islands’ economic recovery with jobs.

These first seven homes will cost CI$750,000 to build but officials did not state in the release which contractors are involved in the project. In recent times, however, the NHDT has opted to break down the work and distribute it among several different smaller construction companies to give them a chance to secure work.

The NHDT will be assisting the pre-selected Caymanian applicants with mortgage financing through various local banks to help them with the acquisition of their first home.

At the groundbreaking event the minister with responsibility for housing, Dwayne Seymour, spoke about the steep cost of living steep in the Cayman Islands, which has increased during the administration he has served in. Seymour also said there is a major housing crisis in many places around the world.

“A country in which only a few can afford housing is not just or sustainable,” he said. “Everyone deserves a safe place to live, for their children to play, to feel the comfort of home.”

NHDT General Manager Julio Ramos said it was the mission of the NHDT to build homes and a society where young Caymanians can grow up knowing that there will be land, homes and a place of shelter that they can afford and live happy and productive lives.

Described as a massive project involving multiple stakeholders in government and the private sector, the minister said work would continue work on helping people to get a home. “Do not think we are just breaking ground but rather that we are planting seeds for future happiness, stability and strong communities,” he said.


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Category: Community, development, Local News

Comments (15)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Like so many projects started by this gov’t, final construction “cost” won’t be truly known until they’re actually completed. It is often 2x or 3x their party-cronies’ initial “tendered cost”.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Got one of these behind me! As soon as it went up veranda built with North African architectural mosque style features E.G. Looking like cheap spainish town houses and then they don’t allow them to trade freely on the market so sale prices crush comparables.

    So, how does that work for valuation? And mind you, they only put these ghettos in communities that are already struggling. Basically, the poor subsidizing the poor.

    Good lawsuit coming up under for passing societies burden disportionaly back on the backs of those that can least afford it. Why don’t these people stop creating ghettos and go around and purchase houses on the open market and help integrate lower income people throughout the islands instead of creating groups of poor people congregated and in the meantime destroying the possibility of any community near these unmarketable homes becoming rejuvenate.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Low cost for whom?

    Young Caymanians (7 households) shouldn’t grow up thinking they can one day own a piece of the dream in a cut-rate government housing project, billed to public accounts at full freight.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Are these going to be as nice as the government folding houses by the old cox lumber?

  5. Anonymous says:

    Tokenism at it’s worst?

  6. Anonymous says:

    Vote buying as usual

    • Anonymous says:

      If it could only be exteneded further. How many Caymanians need to find affordable housing? I was lucky enough to find where I live right now at an affordable price, but how many people living here, Caymanian and otherwise, need to comprimise and live outside their inheritance to find somewhere to raise their family?

  7. Anonymous says:

    Election coming soon gets things done hoping for votes

  8. anon says:

    Are they designed to remain standing after more than 3 years?.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Photo-op time. Going to be a nauseating next five months

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