1,000 house lots to be distributed as gov’t targets Reg. 5 housing backlog

Thousands of residents were at the Rosignol Stelling Tarmac in Region Five on Friday as the Ministry of Housing, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), rolled out a major housing drive aimed at significantly reducing the housing backlog.

The ‘Dream Realised’ Housing Drive will see more than 1,000 house lots allocated, hundreds of land titles distributed and dozens of residents receiving assistance to begin constructing their homes.

More than 90 beneficiaries are also expected to receive steel and cement vouchers valued at a combined $21 million, providing a boost to their construction efforts.

Minister of Housing, Collin Croal said allocations being will be made in the Track C Experiment and Track A Hope housing developments.

According to Croal, the government is determined to address all pending housing applications in the region, assuring attendees that sufficient lands are available.

“We have enough lots to service all of you who are here today,” Croal told the large gathering.

He described the exercise as the beginning of a renewed push to fulfill government’s housing commitments in the region.

“Today is the day that we will start all process to implement our five-year mandate of ensuring we fulfill that commitment here,” he said.

In addition to the new allocations, more than 500 certificates of title are available for collection from among some 1,900 lots allocated during previous exercises.

The exercise will prioritse persons who were unable to receive house lots during the last housing drive in 2024 due to limited availability.

However, he reminded prospective homeowners that allocations depend on land availability. “You have to understand also sometimes you can’t get land where you want; it’s where it is available,” Croal said.

CH&PA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Martin Pertab said the government has invested more than $9.5 billion in housing and supporting infrastructure across Region Five over the last five years, resulting in the allocation of over 1,900 house lots and the distribution of more than 300 steel and cement vouchers.

He also announced that another $1.5 billion will be invested in housing infrastructure throughout the region in 2026.

The investments form part of government’s wider effort to tackle a backlog that stood at approximately 4,100 pending housing applications as of October 2025.

“We are confident by March 2027 we will be able to address a minimum of 60 percent of that backlog,” Pertab said, encouraging beneficiaries to see homeownership as an opportunity for long-term advancement.