Port of Spain to work with Habitat for Humanity to build homes

Port of Spain Mayor Joel Martinez has announced the launch of a ten-year project in partnership with the NGO Habitat for Humanity to build better homes for city residents.

Habitat for Humanity was founded on the concept of “partnership housing,” using volunteers to help build decent, affordable homes for those in need.

He was speaking during the city council's monthly statutory meeting at City Hall on Wednesday.

Martinez said, “It falls on the shoulders of disaster management, and it is about building the capacity of the city of Port of Spain to be more resilient as we face global warming, as we face disasters caused by hurricanes. It is well presented at a time where the city is beginning its revitalisation process to become a city that can stand amongst big cities around the world.”

Other plans for the revitalisation of the city include upgrading the surfaces of sidewalks and work in Woodbrook, including Ariapita Avenue. This includes landscaping, signage, information boards, and a feature art wall to “soften the urban hardscape,” Urban Development Corporations (Udecott) senior architect Marlon Charles said during a consultation in April.

There are also plans to pedestrianise Ariapita Avenue, enhance Lapeyrouse Cemetery and build a four-storey car park to hold 800 cars, with commercial spaces on the ground floor.

Martinez hopes that by the end of these projects more people would be encouraged to live in Port of Spain.