The National Housing Trust (NHT) will expand the Guaranteed Purchase Programme (GPP), targeting efficient developers who are able to deliver housing solutions within the $5-million to $8-million range.

The expansion is to be made during the 2020/2021

financial year.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the

announcement during his contribution to the 2020/21 Budget Debate in the House

of Representatives, on Thursday (March 19).

Under the GPP, the NHT will purchase all or

an agreed number of units, thereby relieving the developers of the associated

market risk. Holness said a total of 8,364 housing solutions are being proposed

for the parishes of Hanover, St Thomas, Portland, Westmoreland, St James and St

Elizabeth.

Meanwhile, to facilitate housing

development in areas where a constant supply of water is not available, the NHT

and National Water Commission (NWC) have entered into several agreements where

the NHT provided project funding and grants for the infrastructure works. The Prime

Minister said these agreements were critical to the completion of Cornwall

Court, St James and Paddington, St Andrew.