TTBWA: No HDC housing for the blind

DESPITE reports that the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) had allocated over 120 housing units for 2025, the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) said that no blind or visually impaired person benefited from the initiative.

Although noting the importance of long-awaited housing being provided to families, the TTBWA advocated for housing to be provided for all.

“Housing is not merely a social benefit, it is a fundamental component of independence, dignity, safety and inclusion. For blind and visually impaired persons, many of whom face persistent barriers to employment, income stability and accessible living environments, the absence of representation in national housing allocations is a matter of serious concern,” The TTBWA said in a media release on December 25.

“People with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired, are citizens with equal rights and legitimate expectations to benefit from public housing initiatives, particularly where vulnerability and long waiting periods are acknowledged as qualifying factors.”

The TTBWA called for deliberate inclusion of disabled people in future distributions, better tracking of housing applicants with disabilities and more engagement with organizations that represent the disabled community to ensure inclusive housing policies.

“As a nation, our progress is measured not only by the number of homes delivered, but by who is included in that progress. The TTBWA remains ready and willing to engage constructively with policy-makers and housing authorities to support more inclusive outcomes in future allocations.”