Ground was broken yesterday (September 23, 2026), for 337 new housing solutions at Luana Gardens Phase 4 in St. Elizabeth, representing an investment of approximately $3.7 billion and advancing the Government’s drive to increase housing delivery across Jamaica.
The greenfield development, being undertaken by the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ), will provide 140 two-bedroom, one-bathroom houses and 197 serviced residential lots, together with the roads, drainage, water, wastewater, electrical and other infrastructure required for a planned residential community.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said the project forms part of the Government’s target to deliver 70,000 new housing solutions, while acknowledging that demand remains significantly higher.
“We are simply not building enough houses at pace and at scale and that is why we have set a target to build 70,000 new houses,” the Prime Minister said.
He noted that the 70,000 target is being pursued against an estimated housing demand of approximately 150,000 units, particularly at the lower-income level.
“So, we have another 80,000 houses to come. We have the Greater Innswood Master Plan and once that is complete, it will go into the pool for the next set of houses that we intend to build”, the Prime Minister stated.
Prime Minister Holness also pointed to the financial turnaround at the HAJ, noting that profits generated by the public entity are being reinvested in housing and supporting infrastructure to expand its capacity to undertake additional developments.
He explained that this reinvestment is helping to finance critical infrastructure, including wastewater capacity, that will support not only Luana Gardens Phase 4 but adjoining developments.
The project is also benefiting from private-sector financing, demonstrating the role of partnerships between public entities and financial institutions in increasing the scale and pace of housing delivery.
The construction contract, valued at approximately $3.027 billion, has been awarded to Chin’s Equipment Rental & Construction Limited. Cabinet approved the contract award on February 9, 2026.
The 140 houses will each measure approximately 678 square feet and will be constructed on lots averaging approximately 4,305 square feet. The proposed selling price is approximately $25 million.
The 197 serviced lots will average approximately 4,500 square feet, with proposed selling prices starting at approximately $7 million.
A key component of the project is the expansion of wastewater treatment capacity.
The existing sewage treatment plant will be upgraded to serve Luana Gardens Phase 4 and the adjoining development planned by the National Housing Trust (NHT). The upgrade will be jointly funded by the HAJ and NHT and advanced alongside the housing development to meet regulatory, environmental and public-health requirements.
Supporting works will include site development, roads and drainage, water supply, wastewater infrastructure, electrical and utility infrastructure and associated civil works.
The development is expected to strengthen St. Elizabeth’s formal housing stock, create additional pathways to home ownership and generate employment and economic activity during construction.
