2009/05/27 - Rent-To-Own Pilot Project Launched

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has launched the Housing Every Last Person (H.E.L.P) Rent-To-Own Pilot Project  which will assist low-income earners (who make no more than $3000.00 per month) to own a "piece of the rock".

Under the Rent-To-Own programme, applicants will have to enter into an agreement for seven (7) years, pay two months deposit as security and then make monthly payments equivalent to 30 percent of income as rent for seven years.

During the seven year period:

1) 70 percent of the rent will be credited to the purchase.

2) 30 percent will go towards NHC to cover maintenance, insurance and other charges.

3) The security deposit would be credited towards the purchase price.

4) If the tenant is unable to close the sale in the allotted seven-year period, the agreement could be extended for an additional two years.

5) if the tenant dies, the beneficiary of the estate would be allowed to continue the tenancy on condition that all the other requirements are met.

If the tenant cannot maintain the agreement, he or she will be referred to an alternative housing solution at the NHC.

2009/04/23 - Private Sector Titans Joining Forces With Ministry of Housing

Forty lots have Town Planning approval, and approximately 170 lots are awaiting the necessary approvals.

This has been revealed following a tour of a number of sites by officials of  the National Housing Corporation (NHC), the Ministry of Housing and construction industry veterans Michael Cozier and Sir Charles Williams. According to Mr. Cozier, the private sector is looking to join with Government to do middle and lower income [projects] and the affordable housing market. "And", says Mr. Cozier, "we are hoping that we can get prices down to accommodate a house package, including land, for about $100,000... twenty percent of the minimum 1,000 lots would be in the $100,000 range."

Minister of Housing Michael Lashley would also like more landowners to assist with housing, indicating that a hard look would be taken at how NHC and the Ministry entered joint venture partnerships. Minister Lashley said, "We know what happened in the past in relation to joint venture programmes. Look at Bulkeley Meadows. So we have to revisit the joint venture programme and put protective mechanisms in place so that we won't fall into that same problem again."

2009/04/20 - NHC Celebrates its 36th Anniversary with Church Service

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) celebrated its 36th anniversary with a service at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Ruby, St. Philip.

In addressing the congregation, Minister of Housing Michael Lashley and NHC General Manager Vincent Alleyne emphasised that Government was taking several approaches with a view to satisfying the demand for housing in Barbados; these included housing ventures where landowners provide the land and then share the profits of the development. Minister Lashley noted that strenuous efforts were underway to satisfy the increasing housing demand, as evidenced by the works in advanced stages in areas such as Workhall and Marchfield in St,. Philip; Four Hill St. Peter; and Constant St. George.

Immaculate Roger Ward (Board Secretary acting) is flanked by two equally well dressed female staff members

NHC General Manager Vincent Alleyne with a proud staff member

Kathy Wiggins of the Loans Department shows a definite sense of style.

2009/03/25 - NHC Hosts Media Tour of H.E.L.P Sites

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) invited the media along on a tour of several sites of the ongoing H.E.L.P  Programme. Sites visited were:

1) Workhall

2) Marchfield

3) Greens

4) Constant

5) Four Hill

6) Country Park Towers

After completing the tour, the Honourable Michael Lashley, Minister of Housing and Lands gave a press conference at the Country Park Towers Site at Country Road.

From Left: PS, MHL; Chairman NHC; Deputy General Manager, NHC; and Hon. Minister Michael LashLey Review Internal Works at Workhall

(CLICK HERE To See Entire Album of Media Tour)

2009/02/26 - 'Customer Care' and 'Sales & Marketing' Departments Merged

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has amalgamated the 'Customer Care' and 'Sales and Marketing' Departments in to a single, customer focussed entity. The new department will be known as 'Customer Services', and will undertake to provide:

1) Timely delivery of services

2) Accurate information about NHC's products

3) Reponses to queries across all NHC lines of business

4) Standards in bringing closure to issues and highlighted problems

5) Improved customer relations between NHC and the general public

As part of the process of integrating the two departments,  the Customer Services staff underwent an intensive training course in Customer Services Excellence.

 (CLICK HERE To See FlowMotion Album of Graduation Ceremony)

2009/02/13 - NHC Web Site Re-Launched

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has re-launched its web site to provide more timely, transparent and visual information to the public. The web site's background constantly invokes the image of a 'new dawn' and that is in fact what the NHC is attempting to convey; and the uncluttered layout is designed to make it easy to find whatever you need or want to know.

NHC's activities are to be consolidated into a series of 'albums' showing past, present and future (via 3D and virtual representations) developments and plans. The new interactive albums are intended to provide a window into the Corporation as we strive to re-invent the organisation in our quest to play an important role in the provision of housing solutions for needy Barbadians.

2009/02/03 - Electrical Upgrade of NHC Units On The Way

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) will begin the upgrading of the electrical supply of its housing units on Monday, February 16, in Bonnets Development, Brittons Hill, St. Michael

The work, which will be carried out in this initial phase by the NHC personnel, will be done on a phased basis, during normal workday hours and will involve excavation for trenches and manholes, the laying of conduits, the installation of cables and connections to meter bases and breaker panels.  Work will then systematically move to other estates where surveying has been completed.

Roger Ward, Special Assignments Officer at the NHC explained that the Corporation is doing the upgrade at this time for two reasons.  'One, we would have made the commitment to the tenants to upgrade the electrical system to increase their capacity.  And secondly, there have been some changes by the Government Electrical Engineering Department to their specifications which dictates that any upgrade we do now would have to be in line with current standards.  So we are moving from a single phase to a double phase....and it would allow tenants themselves to upgrade the internal works to accommodate large appliances and so on,' he said.

Mr. Ward also stated that as part of its property transfer programme, the NHC acknowledges that prior to conveying units and during the conveying process the Corporation does have a responsibility to tenants.  According to Mr. Ward, 'we have committed ourselves that we would undertake all structural defects.  We will also, in the older estates where there are dilapidated doors and windows for example, change those and we will generally make good to outstanding defects prior to the transfer.  There after, the tenant will be responsible for the maintenance of his or her own unit'.

The Housing official also emphasized that all disturbed areas will be reinstated and precautions will be taken to ensure safety.  Also, prior to starting any work the Corporation will contact individual tenants face-to-face.