WATCH | Affordable housing in good locations must be a priority-PM Holness

Developers must turn their attention to building affordable homes in good locations for Jamaicans, declared Prime Minister Andrew Holness, speaking at the launch of the 36-acre Wick Hall housing development project on Featherbed Lane, St. Catherine.

Wick Hall, developed by Norman Horne’s  Altruhomes,  sees 221 units comprising both two and three-bedroom houses.

Kingston has seen many high-rise apartments go up in the last few years with most beginning at around US$500,000, well beyond the reach of many Jamaican professionals and those looking to start a family.

With the economy contracting and the wars in both the Middle East and Europe impacting the global economy and leading to imported inflation, it makes acquiring a home arduous for many young Jamaicans.

This was not lost on the Prime Minister, who used the occasion to address the issue

 The Prime Minister said, “Many Jamaicans are asking, ‘ Where can I find well-built homes in a good location at a reasonable price?”

He also made the point, and it is a notable one, that developers have unrealistic expectations if they acquire parcels of land in remote places and then expect the government to provide roads, water and other amenities to make their projects more attractive with state dollars.

Lead principal of both ARC Manufacturing and Altruhomes, Norman Horne added: “ Buying a home is the beginning of creating wealth and having some level of equity so you can pass on an asset to the next generation. The Wick Hall project will be executed in three phases.

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