Twelve more affordable homes for Cayman Brac

(CNS): With more than $1.1 million funding available for the the Cayman Brac affordable housing programme, the Sister Islands Affordable Housing Development Corporation (SIAHDC) made a planning application on Friday to build eight homes at the West End site and four at Watering Place. The eight homes already built by SIAHDC are all at the West End site, which is elevated on Bluff land, since there were no qualified applications at the time from people wanting to live in Watering Place. The SIAHC has also advertised for the position of office administrator to manage the affordable housing scheme on the Brac.

The plans call for one 2-bedroom and three 3-bedroom homes at the Watering Place location, and two 2-bedroom and six 3-bedroom homes at West End. The plans are similar to the existing homes, which are between 855 sq ft for a 2-bedroom and 1,073 sq ft for a 3-bedroom house. Publishing the application forms and other documents as well as contacting applicants who have already submitted applications will follow, according to Board Chair Christine Maltman.

Working closely with the Ministry of District Administration, Works, Land and Agriculture, SIAHDC is also preparing documents for the construction tendering process. “We are on track to begin construction,” Maltman noted.

Sister Island Affordable housing initiative was launched a few days before the 2005 elections by the first UDP administration.  SIAHDC, a government-funded, non-profit entity which was formed in January 2006 under the PPM, started the first two phases. The four concrete homes of Phase 1 were completed just before Hurricane Paloma in 2008, and Phase 2 (another four homes) was completed in April 2010. Local contractors won the bids to construct phases 1 and 2 for $365,500 and $413,031 respectively.

The Watering Place site can accommodate 15 homes and the West End property has room for 20 to 30 homes. Successful applicants own their own homes and land outright.

Expressing pleasure at the progress of this third construction phase, District Administration Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly said, “I laud the board and Ms Maltman for staying focused sothat construction of affordable housing on Cayman Brac can re-start soon.” The Minister emphasised that her ministry continues to promote individual home-ownership at the best possible cost. “Given the context of current global economic conditions, I am delighted the board has risen to the challenge of providing construction under prudent financial management,” she commented.

The job of office administrator offers an annual salary of CI$30,000-40,000.

To contact SIAHDC, mail to: PO Box 141, Cayman Brac KY2-2101; call 948-8177 or 928-0234, or email siahdc@candw.ky.

CNS note: The article has been corrected. While a Cabinet equity investment of $500,000 appeared in the draft 11/12 Ownership documents, this EI was not included in the actual the budget, according to the board chair.