The Ministry of Housing and its Agency, the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) launched its Urban Housing Programme (UHP) on Thursday 25 October, 2007. The programme will rejuvenate and breathe new life into cities and boroughs across the country, starting with over 900 units throughout Port of Spain, San Fernando and Chaguanas.

Speaking at the formal launch of the UHP, which took place at the St. Paul’s Street Multi-Purpose Facility, Port of Spain (POS), Minister of Housing, the Honourable Minister Dr. Keith Rowley noted that, in particular, the capital city has “deteriorated over the years and the Government of Trinidad & Tobago is engaged in a rejuvenation exercise to rebuild the city of POS in more ways than one.”

He added that the renewal programme is necessary and would provide housing where the demand is highest. In order to do this effectively he said engineers were brought in to ‘replan, rethink and re-establish’ the present state of the City to deal with relevant structural issues because, “if we are to treat with the housing demand in the city of Port of Spain, it stands to reason it would involve some reusing of existing land and spaces and therein lies [a] challenge.”

Minister Rowley identified some of these challenges as being cost and affordability of the units, relocation of the displaced in the construction phases and the idea that what exists now should be preserved in its current state. To deal with the issues of cost and affordability, a significant number of the homes will be offered as rental units because the national housing programme caters to mainly low and middle income earners. Ownership will also be encouraged, so that the creation of wealth among citizens of Trinidad & Tobago would continue through property ownership.

Under the Urban Housing Programme the HDC will increase densities through the construction of apartment and townhouse units. Multifamily units are the preferred choice because of limited available land space and the fact that the land is very expensive.

The aim of the Urban Housing Programme is to essentially create self sufficient districts with integrated modern housing and all related business and social amenities and infrastructure. Minister Rowley pointed out that ‘many sites in POS are under utilized in the context of today’s economy; we have a city with approximately 40,000 residents and we believe that that is a largely uneconomic unit’.

A new district will be created in East POS (South Quay) with commerce, transportation sub-nodes and inner city units for those persons who were displaced and applicants who would want to live in the city.

Minister Rowley was confident that available housing in the city will be a benefit; ‘if housing units are available in the city- available and affordable- I have no doubt, and it’s the Government’s expectation, that many persons who now live outside of POS and who journey into POS on a ritual basis in the morning and in the evening, [will want to live] in modern apartments in the city and experience a quality of life which they do not now experience.’ With new homes being provided in Port of Spain it is expected that persons will now be able to relocate to the city and not suffer through traffic on a daily basis. It will now be possible for the persons who work in the city to live in the city or in close proximity to their workplace. This will inevitably improve their quality of life by reducing the number of wasted hours spent commuting.

All these initiatives, coupled with those of the private sector are geared at breathing new life into the city of Port of Spain. “Our effort at the Ministry of Housing is creating that missing component; creating quality living for persons in the city of POS, so that there will be a significant transformation. It is part of the Government’s vision of creating a capital city of which we can all be proud”, stated Minister Rowley. The ultimate goal is to create a life and an economy synonymous with that of any capital city in the world.

At the formal launch, the sod was turned to commence construction of 78 quality units which will be known as Clifton Hill Towers, Clifton Street, Port of Spain. Minister Rowley emphasized that “Clifton Hill is the start of a lot of good things to come”.

The other phases of the Urban Housing Programme identified for immediate commencement are:

• Eastbridge – Port of Spain - South Quay – 426 units
  Observatory Street – 90 units

• Great Elements – Malick – 160 units

• Southridge – Mon Repos, San Fernando – 78 units

• New Fields & Edinburgh Towers – Chaguanas – 85 units