Seven hundred new houses are to be added to the housing stock as the National Housing Trust (NHT) and the Housing Agency of Jamaica Limited (HAJL) move to expand affordable homeownership opportunities at Greater Bernard Lodge in Portmore, St. Catherine. 

The $11.62-billion project, for which ground was broken on Friday, September 11, will deliver 280 detached one-bedroom and 420 detached two-bedroom houses on approximately 90 acres of land, with M&M Jamaica Limited serving as the private sector contractor.

The investment forms part of the wider development plans for the Greater Bernard Lodge area, which is expected to accommodate approximately 15,000 housing solutions, alongside commercial and industrial activity and essential social infrastructure, when completed. 

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, placed the Greater Bernard Lodge investment within the scale of the NHT’s wider housing programme.

“We have over 40,000 housing solutions in construction, in planning and in development. We have over 8,000 housing solutions presently under construction, and just in this financial year we have broken ground for over 2,000 housing solutions,” Dr Holness said.

He said sustaining that level of delivery will require developers and contractors with the capacity to build quickly and at scale, including through greater use of modern construction technologies to produce sustainable, modern and aesthetically pleasing homes. At Greater Bernard Lodge, the Prime Minister said particular attention is also being given to keeping the homes affordable.

“These houses are specially designed for affordability,” he said.

Dr Holness pointed to the former sugar company lands, which were made available by the Government to the NHT and HAJL at below-market cost, as one factor expected to reduce the overall project cost.

“The cost associated with the overall project should be less, and we hope that is passed on to the purchaser at the completion of the project,” he added.

NHT Chairman Linval Freeman said the start of the 700-unit project represents the advancement of a vision years in the making. 

“In many respects, we are seeing one phase of the Greater Bernard Lodge vision give way to another, moving from planning and preparation to creating opportunities for Jamaicans, from all walks of life, to turn their own key,” he said. 

He said the project adds to the NHT’s existing and future housing developments in St. Catherine, where population growth, proximity to Kingston, major transportation links and expanding commercial centres continue to drive demand for housing. 

Chairman of the Housing Agency of Jamaica Limited, Norman Brown, said the significance of the investment ultimately extends beyond the number of houses being constructed.

“When we speak about 700 housing solutions for this development, we must remember that we are speaking about much more than houses. At a national average of three persons per household, we are talking about 2,100 Jamaicans being granted access to adequate housing, being provided with the opportunity to put down roots and create a more secure future for their families,” Mr. Brown said.

Leveraging Private Investment for Housing

The project is being undertaken through the NHT’s Developers Programme, where the Trust partners with private developers to increase housing supply. Under the programme, developers finance and manage the development process, while the NHT establishes affordability requirements. 

Managing Director of M&M Richard Mullings underscored the company’s commitment to contributing to the delivery of affordable housing. The scope of the project extends beyond the construction of the homes, with supporting infrastructure to include roads, storm-water drainage, water and sewage systems, electrical distribution and street lighting, as well as recreational areas and open spaces.  

Freeman said the Developers Programme forms part of the NHT’s broader approach to sustaining housing delivery over the long term.