KINGSTON, Jamaica – Effective July 1, the National Housing Trust (NHT) has increased the allocation of housing solutions reserved for contributors aged 35 and under from 10 per cent to at least 20 per cent in each NHT development.

The change is part of a series of new policies announced in March by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness that take effect July 1.

In a statement on Wednesday, the NHT says the measures are designed to support contributors at every stage of the housing journey, from purchasing a first home to improving existing properties and strengthening homes against the impacts of natural disasters.

The new policies improve affordability, expand access to financing and provide targeted support to key groups of contributors.

It noted that young contributors stand to benefit significantly from the new policy arrangements, creating greater opportunities for younger Jamaicans to access homeownership.

The NHT has also introduced a new benefit for young contributors purchasing a property on the open market.

They may now access an advance of up to $2 million of their NHT loan entitlement towards their deposit. This provides greater flexibility to purchase suitable properties beyond NHT developments and helping to reduce the upfront cost of securing a property.

The trust has also introduced mortgage interest rate concessions for teachers, nurses, members of the security and defence forces and firefighters.

Eligible contributors with five to 10 years of service will benefit from a 1 per cent reduction in their mortgage interest rate, while those with more than 10 years of service will benefit from an interest rate reduction of 2 per cent.

In another enhancement, the qualifying period for the Home Improvement Loan has been reduced from seven years to five years, enabling contributors to access financing for repairs, renovations and home improvements sooner.

As homeowners continue to invest in improving and protecting their properties, the NHT says it has also extended its Hurricane Relief Loan Programme to March 2027, providing eligible contributors with additional time to access financing for resilience upgrades. The loan may be used to undertake improvements designed to strengthen homes against severe weather events, including reinforced roofing, safe rooms, hurricane straps, shutters and other enhancing features that improve preparedness and reduce vulnerability.