KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica is becoming more vulnerable to severe climate-related hazards. This is due to climate change and poor planning. Development stakeholders warn that there is an urgent need to improve the country’s housing. Stronger resilient housing can help withstand extreme weather and support socio-economic stability.
Delivering the key remarks at the Jamaica Developers Association (JDA) real estate webinar on October 31, Dr Wayne Henry, director-general of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), said as efforts intensify to ensure there can be adequate housing to meet demand, the resilience of the solutions must also be in focus. He said that the Housing Quality Index is fairly good at 78 percent. However, there are areas of poor housing in the country. Many of these are in unplanned communities.
Dr. Wayne Henry
“Many of these are among the over 700 communities classified as vulnerable by the ODPEM [Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management]. In addition, the Housing Policy identifies the existence of a severe housing shortage indicating the need for replacement of obsolete stock and a demand-supply gap that requires the production of at least 15,000 units annually,” he shared.
Green Building Practices
Dr Henry said resilience must go beyond housing’s ability to withstand storms and other weather phenomena. He suggested increasing green building practices. He also recommended using designs that respond to earthquakes and climate. This will help create homes that are sustainable and use resources wisely.
“Envision developments with permeable surfaces to reduce flooding and green roofs or walls that naturally cool homes, reducing reliance on air conditioning. These eco-smart designs create self-sufficiency and enhance comfort. Building seismic resilient housing must take consideration of the use of appropriate construction materials, technology, techniques and standards,” he stressed.
Dr. Henry also called for stronger urban zoning policies. He wants better enforcement of the Building Code and standards. Additionally, he believes we need more economic and social safety nets to help families financially.
“We could explore programmes to widen access to subsidies, grants, and low-interest loans for the purchase of resilient housing and/or to effect upgrades to existing units to improve resilience. Access to home insurance is another critical part of resilience,” he said.
“Resilient housing is not just about construction; it is about empowerment, community strength, and economic stability. The private sector has a significant role to play in this, by among other things, providing resilient homes on the market at affordable prices,” he added.
Containerised Homes
Building on those comments, Courtney Wynter, general manager of the Jamaica Mortgage Bank, suggested that alongside the conventional block-and-steel construction, containerised homes are worth exploring, as they offer a resilient and affordable housing solution for low-income families.
“I know there are individuals who are saying containerised homes are really for individual purposes but [it can be a] similar [situation] to what is being done in other jurisdictions where trailer homes were built, or parks where they can park were developed, [with] the infrastructure in place [to support them],” he said.
Mr Wynter, a presenter at the webinar, also emphasised that the provision of low-income housing solutions can be a powerful driver of economic growth over time.
Another of the webinar participants, Earl Samuels- the chief development financing officer and assistant general manager at the JN Group, added that with housing being a major stabiliser in society, every effort should be made to ensure “housing is affordable even at the lowest income level.”
He mentioned that there are different strategies to help lower development costs. These include extending the time for cost write-offs and providing more government incentives and subsidies.
Earl Samuels
“Infrastructure is a significant cost in any development. Those costs could be written off over a longer period. For example, they could be recovered in taxes, included as part of the property tax so that the owner or the purchaser of those units would pay for those services over time, instead of those services being included in the upfront cost of the units,” he shared.
The JDA Real Estate Webinar was held under the theme: ‘Resilient Housing Strategies in National Development’. The online event, sponsored by the JN Group, included several expert legal and real estate professionals. They came from both the private and public sectors.
