More National Housing Trust (NHT) contributors are accessing mortgages, as the NHT increases the number of available housing solutions across Jamaica. Also, the NHT is transforming the lifestyles of residents through training, environmental projects and income opportunities. Additionally, the NHT’s Call Centre is now offering LIVE HELP via the NHT Website.
OVER 4,000 NHT CONTRIBUTORS BENEFIT FROM $9.4B IN MORTGAGES SINCE JANUARY
The NHT has provided approximately $9.4 billion in loans between January and August of this year, to the benefit of some 4,200 mortgagors. Of this number, 43% bought houses on the Open Market, while 33% bought house lots, or used the funding to build on properties which they previously purchased with an NHT loan. According to the NHT’s Managing Director, A. Cecile Watson, home ownership is still a priority for NHT contributors despite the economic recession.
835 MORE HOUSING SOLUTIONS BY MARCH 2011
By March 2001, the NHT will deliver 835 housing solutions across the income groups. These include units at Unions Estate in St. Catherine, Stokes Hall in St. Thomas; Paddington and Salisbury in St. Andrew; Hampden in Trelawny; Bellrock Phase 2 in St. Thomas; and Bushy Park in Clarendon.
HOME SWEET HOME FOR MORE SUGAR WORKERS
Among the NHT contributors to benefit from these housing solutions are the Sugar Workers, who are among some of NHT’s lowest earning contributors. Through the Sugar Workers Housing Project (SWHP) 148 more sugar workers can now own their piece of the rock in St. Thomas, as the NHT’s Development at Stokes Hall are available for sale to former employees of the now defunct Sugar Company of Jamaica, St. Thomas Sugar Company. Over in Trelawny, sugar workers will be able to purchase serviced lots in the NHT's Hampden Development located at Bounty Hall by February 2011. Of the 288 lots, 150 of these have been set aside for the sugar workers.
BUSHY PARK - PHASE 2 CLARENDON now on the market
Between Monday, October 4, 2010 and Friday, October 8, 10, 2010, the NHT will be inviting applications for Sixty-one (61) housing solutions in the Bushy Park Housing Development, Clarendon. UNITS AVAILABLE are 6 – two-bedroom units, 51 – one-bedroom units and 4 – studio units. Bushy Park is located approximately 2km north of the town of May Pen. The entrance is on the May Pen to Chapleton main road. (See the NHT website at www.nht.gov for information about how to apply).
THE PADDINGTON GLADES-37 Paddington Terrace, St. Andrew now on the market
Between Monday, October 4, 2010 and Friday, October 8, 2010, the NHT will be inviting applications for Four (4) Three-bedroom Townhouses. Padding ton Glades is a gated community located approximately 1 kilometre west of the junction of Paddington Terrace and Croydon Avenue. (See the NHT website at www.nht.gov for information about how to apply).
MORE THAN HOUSING SOLUTIONS THROUGH SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
In addition to housing solutions, the NHT through its Social Development Department (SDD) continues to transform lifestyles through a series of activities in communities across the island. During Summer 2010, the NHT’s SDD partnered with others to organize training, income generation and Environmental projects. Also because of NHT assistance, communities are accessing aid from donor agencies.
Cricket Camp
Among the recently organized projects were a Summer Cricket Camp held at the Prison Oval, St. Catherine which took place August 9-13. The campers were 60 youngsters ages 12-15 years old, who came from the communities of Big Lane; Little Lane; Shelter Rock; Tawes Pen and Knollis, as well as from NHT schemes located in other Inner City communities.
Strata Management Training
The NHT also trained 93 NHT Mortgagers from the Unions Estates Housing Scheme in Strata / Preoccupancy Training.
NHT’s Environmental Programme
As part of the NHT’s Environmental Programme, 35 youngsters from NHT sponsored Environmental Clubs participated in Denbigh Agricultural Show’s “School's Garden Youth in Agriculture” Competition and were commended by the Competition’s organizers, as they did well having to compete against much older competitors.
The NHT partnered with the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) for Jamaica’s Coastal Cleanup Day, which took place on September 25 2010. Nineteen (19 )clubs from 6 parishes participated. The RBTT also supported the project. The approved projects were: Macky and the Palisadoes Beaches, Kingston; Hellshire Beach, St. Catherine; Half Moon Bay Beach, Trelawny; and the Salt River Beach, Clarendon.
Community Safety & Security Training
The NHT along with the Community Safety Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force has been training residents to assess and to develop appropriate plans through community safety and security committees. Between July- August 2010, two new Community Safety & Security Groups were formed and 70 residents were trained across 10 Communities.
Summer Employment & Business Development
Fifty-one (51) young persons from Kingston schemes gained summer employment with the National Youth Service, through referrals made by the NHT which also hired a portion of these youth.
Also, through the NHT, the Jamaica Business Development Centre (JBDC) is helping residents of NHT schemes to have businesses development services for start-ups and expansion. Eighty- four (84) persons across NHT schemes in three parishes were evaluated by the JBDC in order to identify businesses and business ideas. This will become the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NHT & JBDC.
NHT partners with HEART for Skills Training and job readiness
Thirty four residents in Kingston participated in short courses in Soft Furnishing and Data Entry at the GARMEX HEART Academy. Thirty- three (33) persons enlisted for training from September 2010 under the Hospitality Skills for Life Project , Denham Town. Also, along with HEART, students will be trained and certified in Data Processing through the Church Pen Hospitality & Technology Project at Church Pen.
NHT helps residents to get aid from other agencies
As a result of assistance provided by the NHT, the communities of Manley Meadows, Delacree Park and Church Pen will have access to computer resources and Internet services through the Universal Access Fund (UAF).
Partnership with PATH Programme, Ministry of Social Security for Jobs
The NHT partnered with the Ministry of Social Security (MSS) to implement an ‘Opportunities’ Fair’ in Denham Town. The fair brought agencies into the community to make it easier for residents to benefit from existing government programmes. Among the government agencies which participated were the HEART Trust NTA and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). More than two hundred residents received information on registration for different government programmes.
Call Centre now offering LIVE HELP via the NHT Website
On September 24, 2010, the NHT officially launched its brand new Live Help Support system which takes the format of a web chat with its team of Customer Care agents. Live support can be accessed via the NHT corporate website during office opening hours by users locally as well as those overseas.
For more information about this and other NHT activities and programmes, visit our website at www.nht.gov.jm
