The National Housing Trust (NHT), is creating more opportunities to improve access to homeownership for Jamaicans. Periodically, the NHT reviews its strategies to achieve its desired objectives. Through adjustments to some of its key programmes, more contributors will be better equipped to navigate the mortgage market. The NHT's strategic focus going forward is geared at among other things, a more equitable distribution of benefits and where subsidies and grants are concerned, targeting them to those contributors who need it the most. The NHT's imperative is the doubling down of its efforts to create more housing solutions for Jamaicans.
Adjustment to Interest Rate Subsidies
Already a market leader for low interest rates, the NHT realises that there are some contributors who still need an additional boost. Currently, interest rate subsidies are applied based on a number of categorizations. Going forward, income will be the sole determinant of interest rate subsidies. This move will allow the organisation to better identify and channel more resources to our contributors who need additional assistance. All other subsidies remain accessible through our Home Grant, Deferred, Intergenerational Mortgages or other facilities, to help contributors achieve their homeownership goal. Contributors who earn below $30,000 per week, who represent a majority of NHT contributors, will continue to access their mortgage at zero per cent%.
| Weekly Income | Minimum Wage- $30,000.99 | $30,001-$42,000.99 | $42,001 & over |
| Interest Rates | 0% | 2% | 4% |
Special Grant for Persons with Disabilities
Special Grant for Persons with Disabilities Beyond making homeownership possible, the NHT is making housing more comfortable for mortgagors living with disabilities and are registered with the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities, JCPD. The organisation has doubled its Special Grant for Persons with Disabilities to $300,000, as well as doubled the number of persons who can apply for the grant per household. A maximum of two NHT mortgagors with disabilities, residing in the same household, can now access the benefit. By doubling the grant, they can do more to upgrade their home to meet their needs. In addition, where a mortgagor with a disability is accessing an NHT unit, the value of the grant will be directly related to the cost to retrofit the unit to the suitability of the mortgagor's needs.
Three Co-applicants
Among the policy measures, up to three family members with established kinship ties seeking housing, will now be able to co-apply for a loan to build, buy or improve at least a two-bedroom house. This move is expected to increase the purchasing power of contributors where each relative will be able to apply for their loan benefit and combine their loan amount. These policy changes are an added driver to the NHT's already ramped up housing delivery programme which projects housing starts of approximately 10,000 solutions and the writing of approximately 8,000 mortgages within the next year. The programme involves leveraging the production efficiencies in the market through partnerships with our developers and contractors to significantly increase the number of housing solutions especially in the affordable housing market.
If you have anymore questions, or may be interested in applying for the Special Grant for persons with Disabilities, then see the links below:
