Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and Member of Parliament for Kingston Central Donovan Williams broke ground on Thursday for the construction of 21 housing units at 41-43 Hanover Street, where 83 residents, including children, have been living in deplorable conditions.

Holness, in an obvious move to counter-talk that he was campaigning, said it was a mere coincidence that ground was being broken for the project just ahead of the general election.

Speculation is rife that Holness will announce the election date this Sunday at a mass rally of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew.

Giving an overview of the Hanover Street project, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Arlene Williams said the Haven development, which the project is called, will be executed under the Government’s New Social Housing Programme.

“The Government, through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, is moving to set you on a path towards a significant comeback in your lives, ensuring that you recover and emerge even stronger than before. This project is aptly called the Haven, because when it is completed, the new units will be your haven, your place of safety and refuge,” Williams told the residents.

“The project will be constructed at a cost of approximately $189 million. The contractor, Yard Works Construction Company Limited, will construct a total of 21 units, consisting of three studios, a one-bedroom house, six two-bedroom units, and 11 three-bedroom units. It is estimated that the project, which will commence this month, will last for 12 months with an anticipated completion date of August 2026. As is the case with all the units constructed under the New Social Housing Programme, this development will afford the beneficiaries the opportunity to own their new homes,” she said.

Williams said that when the families receive their new houses, obligations and directives will be given to them which must be fulfilled and honoured. They will be required to sign a social contract which establishes the term of usage as well as maintenance and inspection of the housing units.

She said that the social contract will be non-negotiable, preventing owners from leasing, selling, subletting or otherwise disposing of the houses within a 20-year period after signing the agreement.

Additionally, the new homeowners will be required to get written permission from the minister of housing if they wish to extend, alter, or otherwise modify the units.

“The Haven will be much more than just a roof over your heads, it will be an opportunity for you to rebuild your lives while creating a legacy for you and your families,” she said.

The New Social Housing Programme, the brainchild of the prime minister, commenced in 2019 when it was determined that roughly 6,000 households were in very deplorable conditions.

“We are building not only safe and decent homes for you to live in; we are building back your pride, your dignity and your hope in a brighter future for yourselves and your children,” Williams told the residents.

“Every Jamaican deserves a chance to feel this sense of pride. The vision of Prime Minister Holness has led us to the point. As at today, August 7, 2025, a total of 300 housing units have been completed under the New Social Housing Programme. It has benefited over 1,082 individuals across 57 of the 63 constituencies,” Williams shared.

“There are 45 active construction projects or 93 rooms across 19 constituencies which are expected to be completed shortly. Work on an additional 65 projects or 173 units, comprising 384 rooms, is expected to commence during this financial year. We are moving pretty quickly to deliver units to meet the demand,” Williams added.

Holness told the residents that it is the intention of his Administration to have a massive urban renewal and regeneration programme in constituencies like Kingston Central.

“That is why we have announced, through the National Housing Trust (NHT), something that is called the Small Developer’s Programme. If you own land in communities like Kingston Central you can partner with the NHT to build on that land with greater density, specifically targeting low-income housing solutions. We are putting in place an avenue with funding for the private sector to start to reinvest in communities like these,” he said.

“In addition to that, we have the New Social Housing Programme that is also coming in to redevelop housing solutions, especially for families that would not be able to rebuild and purchase units. Because of the historical high density of occupancy in the area — these developments within communities and constituencies like Kingston Central — we automatically have to consider what is called mixed-use development. That is natural and normal in highly urban settings. In such mixed-use developments, on the ground floor, you have shops, parlours, boutiques and all kinds of activity. On the first floor, second floor and higher, you have residences,” Holness explained.

After the ground breaking Holness went on a tour of the constituency which has been in the news in recent days because of shooting incidents.

Resident Miriam Wong speaks with Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness after he and other officials broke ground for a new housing development at Hanover Street in Kingston Central on Thursday.