Minister of Housing, Collin Croal, has issued a firm warning to beneficiaries of the government’s housing programme, stressing that state-allocated homes cannot be resold, at least not within the first 10 years of ownership.
Croal made the remarks during the recent launch of the Hyde Park Homestead Project, expressing concern that homes acquired through the state system have been appearing in resale advertisements, contrary to the terms of allocation.
“Sometimes when you see advertisements for houses for resale, you realise it is actually one of the houses from our housing programme,” Croal said. “It is doing a disservice to someone who is really in need.”
Under the programme, homes allocated by the Ministry of Housing carry a 10-year tenure, meaning beneficiaries are prohibited from selling or otherwise disposing of the property until that period has elapsed. Individuals found in breach of the agreement could face penalties.
Croal explained that beneficiaries undergo a vetting and application process designed to identify individuals and families with a genuine housing need, and reselling undermines the purpose of the programme.
“You are a potential owner because you came through an application process, and you are a potential owner because you recognised that you had a need,” the minister said.
According to Croal, the ministry is examining measures to pursue persons who violate the agreement and has signalled a zero-tolerance approach.
“We are examining measures at our level to go after such persons, and I want to use this opportunity to say that we will have no tolerance for individuals who seek to resell these homes,” he stated.
The warning comes as housing developments continue to expand across the country, as the government works to increase access to affordable housing for Guyanese families.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The original headline stated that government-allocated homes could be rented but not sold within the first 10 years. This has since been clarified that such homes may neither be rented nor sold during that period.
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