Land Settlement Agency gives out keys for 66 starter homes

Sixty-six people have been given keys to their newly built or renovated houses under the Land Settlement Agency’s (LSA) Housing and Village Improvement Programme (HVIP).

They received the keys at a ceremony at the Government Campus Plaza Auditorium on Wednesday.

The programme aims to improve the housing and living conditions of residents in villages with neglected infrastructure and poor quality housing.

The HVIP uses a village-based self-help approach in which the residents provide some of the labour required to build or renovate the houses and the LSA provides a grant of up to $175,000 to pay for material and expert labour.

The material is usually sourced from hardwares within the village to provide an economic boost to the community.

Wednesday’s recipients are from communities that include Bon Air, Caura, Sangre Grande, Valencia, Morvant, Princes Town, Ste Madeleine, Laventille and San Fernando.

LSA chairman Wayne Innis said the ceremony was not just about handing over keys.

“It is a celebration of empowerment between state and civilian co-operation and building of capacity and resilience within communities.”

He told the recipients, “This is a significant step in your journey. May your homes be filled with warmth, shared moments and the promise of a bright future. We have provided you with a house, but it is up to you to make it a home.”