Sharla Hernandez, a single mother of two, believes that worrying about eviction is something that no one should have to endure.
Hernandez, who has been living in a house she overlooked for several years with her two young children, is now a homeowner.
She was among eleven persons who received the keys to their new homes on Friday from Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal.
The houses, each valued at $3 million, are situated in Culvert City, Lethem. They were built under the Hinterland Housing Programme.
“I haven’t had a property to call my own. This is the first time after so many years.
“It is a very good feeling to have something to own and call it yours and you don’t have to have that feeling where you will be put out one day without having a place to go or stay,” Hernandez told the News Room on Friday.
With arrangements already in place, Hernandez said she plans on occupying her new house after the Easter holiday.
Initially, the programme kicked off with 100 houses being built in Region Nine.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal said on Friday that 76 of those houses have since been completed and handed over. The remaining are slated to be completed by the end of April.
And in response to the demand, Croal said an additional 60 houses will be built in Region Nine.
“What we have committed to is there and it will continue,” Croal said.
The Housing Ministry has also since engaged the local banks to address challenges faced by some of the beneficiaries to ensure a quicker process, Croal said.
“We recognise, yes, that the construction was a bit slow, and there is a reality.
“Where can you get a house like this built for $3 million dollars,” Croal said.
The other beneficiaries include two brothers, Yimochi Melville and Don Melville.
Like many others, Don waited years to be allocated a house lot.
“I am extremely happy. It took a while, first of all to get the house lot. I finally got through in 2019.
“It has been a blessing, and I am really excited to now being able to turn my own keys. At the end of the day, this is our own place, we don’t have to stay at anybody else home,” Don said on Friday.
Yimochi currently lives with his family in his father’s house. For him, there is no better feeling than “to have your own.”
“I feel very excited because it has been a while to get it and actually have it completed,” he said.
To own one of these houses, individuals are required to have a land title. The government provides the first $1 million, and the other $2 million is required to be paid by beneficiaries.
All materials for construction are procured from within the region.
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