Housing renewal
Montego Bay, St James
Water and Housing minister, Dr Horace Chang, has announced a multimillion-dollar housing project for Albion in St James, which will involve the rehabilitation of six blocks of eight-bedroom low-income housing units constructed by government more than five decades ago.
Chang – the Member of Parliament for the North West St James constituency of which Albion forms a part – said work will get underway by the end of November. At the same time, he said the effort would serve as a pilot for government’s Inner-city Housing Rehabilitation Programme, which is to benefit 350 communities across the island.
“The houses here in Albion were built as a relief after the passage of Hurricane Charley in 1951. Nothing has been done to them since then and they have deteriorated so we are trying to sort them out,” said Dr Chang, while on a tour of the community last week. “There are a couple (housing units) like that around and we will be moving to upgrade them.”
When contacted yesterday, a ministry representative revealed that the actual cost for the project was not yet finalised, but noted that it was expected to run into several millions of dollars.
Residents are, however, sceptical of the project, even as they welcome news of the improvements.
“It must be all the better fe we. Him (Dr Chang) nuh must know wha him a do. Everything up to him as long as him no dash we out a road wid we little lada bag,” said an elderly female resident, who gave her name only as Miss Haughton.
Theresa, a young female resident, agreed with the senior citizen.
“It is a good idea to know that the area is going to be repaired because we were promised that years ago. So what I am saying is I hope it is going to be progressive this time. I hope it is for real! I see men surveying the land so that is a good thing,” she said. “Let’s hope it doesn’t take them eternity to finish it (repairs). And as the lady said before, let us hope they don’t throw us out because rumours are on the street that they are going to throw us out”.
However, the housing minister, who noted that technical officers were busy working out the design for the improvement of the houses, rebuffed the suggestion.
According to Chang, temporary housing facilities will be built to accommodate the residents during the renovation of the 56-year-old structures they now occupy.
“…however, there will have to be some decanting from where they (residents) are living now. We have to build some small houses to move some people out until the houses are completed,” he said.
Chang added that upgrading work should also get underway this week on the building which houses the Ministry of Water and Housing’s offices in the community.
“Improvement works will get underway there to ensure that I can function from there (Albion office) at the latter part of the week. The work should begin this week,” he said.