The Government’s New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) will make tested and approved house designs available to Jamaicans and introduce new building systems aimed at delivering stronger, more affordable homes in less time.

Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement on Friday,October 23, 2026, at Maldon District in St. James, during one of several handover ceremonies for beneficiaries of the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) in the parish.

He said the initiative is intended not only to provide shelter for vulnerable families but also to influence how Jamaicans design and construct their homes.

The Prime Minister explained that the NSHP had previously conducted a low-income housing design competition and has designs that could help Jamaicans build safer, more functional and durable homes.

“The New Social Housing Programme has designs that we can make available to Jamaicans, which you can use and get approvals much more quickly at the parish council because these designs have been tested and approved,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister is encouraging Jamaicans who are able to build their own homes to take advantage of the designs, which prioritize structural integrity, proper ventilation, functionality and efficient use of space.

Dr. Holness said resilience is central to the programme’s approach, given Jamaica’s exposure to hurricanes, heavy rainfall and earthquakes. The houses incorporate proper foundations and sound engineering and architectural principles to withstand wind, rain and seismic activity.

He added that the programme will move beyond conventional concrete-and-steel construction to incorporate alternative building materials and systems capable of delivering resilient, functional homes at a lower cost, that could be adopted more widely across Jamaica.

“When those houses currently under construction are complete, we are going to transition into building systems that we believe will deliver more houses much more quickly, but equally as strong and functional as the ones that we are building now. More importantly, we will be delivering these houses with new building systems at lower cost”, the Prime Minister said.

NSHP homes were handed over to beneficiaries in several St, James communities including Maldon District Maroon Town; Tangle River, Welcome Hall District; Mt. Carey and Salt Spring.

As of October 23, 2026, a total of three hundred and fifty-eight (358) housing units or 812 rooms have been completed under the NSHP, benefiting over 1,280 individuals, across fifty-seven (57) of the sixty-three (63) constituencies.

Six (6) housing units have been completed in the constituency of St. James Southern, benefiting 17 individuals.