EDITOR, The Tribune

The so-called question of affordable housing has eluded successive national government since the days when the Rt. Hon. Hubert Alexander Ingraham served as Minister of Housing under the Pindling administration. He was charged with the development of several new lower income housing subdivisions. Successive governments all tried their level best to bring affordable housing to as many qualified Bahamians as possible.

Of course, a lot of political patronage was in the mix but by and large 20 to 30 years ago, residential property here in New Providence and Grand Bahama was still affordable. The last Christie led administration did oversee the development of several new subdivisions and the Hon. Algernon S.P.B Allen did a wonderful job when he acted as Minister of Housing and Social Development, where I was privileged to act as a Consultant thanks to Mr. Ingraham.

The FNM has now been in power for three years and counting. Apart from opening the Queen’s Park Subdivision (five or six houses) located off Farrington Road, which was a Christie led initiative, this Minnis-led government has not built a single new home that I know about. The current Minister of Housing & the Environment, Romauld Ferreira (FNM-Marathon) will in my opinion go down in history as the worst Minister of Housing since sliced bread.

All governments talk big talk about affordable housing and the urgent necessity to disperse so-called Crown Land to qualified Bahamians, but it never seems to actually happen. Residential land in the private sector here in New Providence is beyond the reach of the average unmarried Bahamian or even a husband and wife team. Minnis is following in the footsteps of all other Prime Ministers in that he talks about liberalization but, so far, it’s only talk.

The Crown has hundreds of acres of well placed property in the western and southern areas of New Providence, in Carmichael Road; Coral Harbour by the well fields; Marshal Road and, of course, Gladstone Road. The idea of promoting single family residence here in the capitol island is not feasible in that one could easily expect to pay in excess of B$250,000 for a little piece of real estate and a two bedroom and one bathroom residence. We need a better housing policy so as to facilitate affordable home ownership by as many Bahamians as possible.

Over a decade ago I suggested to then Prime Minister Ingraham and Bulgy that what should have been considered was public/private sector housing initiatives for multi-family units in high rise complexes. Imagine a cluster of four-storied residential condominiums containing one and two bedrooms with all of the other amenities. There would be common spaces for a park; wash house areas and, of course a communal pool. There would also be an in-house day care and after school facility on the premises, for a fee.

The government would put up the Crown land and invite private contractors and financial institutions to construct and finance these housing towers. Each cluster would have eight units.....four one bedrooms and four two bedrooms depending on the size of the family for applicants. Like a regular condominium complex there would be shared communal maintenance fees.

As each unit is sold the government would be paid the basic cost for the land and the private contractor/bank would also get their funds upon completion of the relevant sale/s.

It has been suggested that the average Bahamian does not wish to live in a high rise shared by others. This may well be the case but one must be pragmatic in these cases which in any event would be geared towards younger first time home owners. Such a scenario would create a class of land owners almost over night with a genuine stake in obtaining and maintaining an affordable piece of the rock.

We must start to think out of the box if we are to make available affordable housing in New Providence and Grand Bahama. Bahamians seeking to acquire affordable housing in Grand Bahama should be aware that The Grand Bahama Port Authority and other private sector companies have huge inventories of abandoned and foreclosed residential homes and/or building lots at depressed prices right now waiting for buyers at dirt cheap prices.

Minnis should have shuffled Ferreira months ago. It’s my opinion that Ferreira is next to useless as Minister of Housing and should return to the private practice of the law. Those doom houses in Central Abaco is a waste of money and time. That part of Abaco has Crown Land gone to bed and should have been turned over into a public / private sector housing subdivision. It is still not too late for Minnis to craft a workable and affordable housing initiate but time is running out.

Home ownership, especially for the younger generation is crucial if they are to be exposed to a real appreciation and level of having a piece of the proverbial rock. I have not done a cost effective analysis but I venture to say that hundreds of Bahamians would be empowered via this initiative. Free up residential Crown Land Most Competent and garner at least one or two more elusive votes come the next general elections. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H. BODIE, Jr.

Nassau,

June 6, 2020.