NHT Showcasing Housing Partnership Opportunities at Diaspora Conference

The National Housing Trust (NHT) is leveraging the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference to attract developers and investors, with the aim of expanding the country’s housing stock and advancing the delivery of climate resilient communities.

The conference runs from June 14 to 18 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James, under the theme “Empowering Jamaicans in the Diaspora: Towards Rebuilding a Climate Resilient Jamaica”.

Manager in the NHT’s Construction and Development Division, Ali-Maa Thompson, explained that the Trust’s participation is designed to showcase partnership opportunities for developers interested in contributing to Jamaica’s housing sector.

“The main objective for NHT is to showcase opportunities for partnerships with developers that are looking to contribute to increasing the housing stock in Jamaica and also to create that resilient Jamaica that we speak about, especially given the passing of Hurricane Melissa,” she told JIS News.

Mrs. Thompson noted that the Trust is seeking partnerships with developers capable of undertaking viable, sustainable housing projects on NHT owned lands or through other collaborative arrangements.

She added that the event offers an opportunity to strengthen relationships with prospective partners and share information on the initiatives being implemented to expand housing solutions across the island.

“We are really looking forward to meeting some prospects as well as imparting to attendees, information about the partnership initiatives that the NHT is utilising in order to increase the housing stock,” Mrs. Thompson said.

Meanwhile, Assistant General Manager for Project Management in the Construction and Development Division, Michael Taylor, noted that the conference provides an ideal platform to showcase the various partnership programmes available through the Trust.

Among these are joint venture arrangements with developers who already possess land and other resources, as well as the Guaranteed Purchase Programme (GPP), through which developers construct housing solutions that are subsequently purchased by the NHT.

Mr. Taylor further noted that the Trust also makes lands available to developers, while requiring adherence to minimum standards that promote sustainability and resilience.

Additionally, he said the conference creates opportunities to engage members of the diaspora who may contribute innovative approaches, technologies, and best practices to support more resilient and cost effective housing solutions in Jamaica.

Mr. Taylor advised that this engagement forms part of the NHT’s wider strategy to collaborate closely with the private sector in order to improve access to homeownership and strengthen community development.