Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, last week Thursday met with KPMG who is currently busy developing a housing vision for St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF).
KPMG has been meeting with various stakeholders seeking their input that would lead to the development of the housing strategy.
Minister Lake said on Sunday that it was once again an opportunity for him to reiterate his vision for public housing for the country.
“It is very important that the emphasis be placed on the housing needs of the people. We have many people on a waiting list at the housing foundation, approximately 1000.
“The housing foundation is trying their best, but they have a number of challenges such as funding, but that must not deter us from meeting the housing needs of our people.
“We have young professionals returning home who also need adequate and affordable housing; homes for minimum wage earners as well as our seniors.
“I have been working diligently is securing land for our people in order to meet the housing needs of the nation. One particular property is the Vorst property. I will continue to work in finding the necessary land to build homes for our people,” Minister Hon. Maurice Lake said on Sunday.
Some of the points discussed in the meeting were housing target groups (eg. Seniors, young professionals, minimum wage earners); the role of government in public housing; screening of individuals to make sure that they are not taking advantage of the system; functioning of the Rent Committee; Housing Guarantor Fund; energy efficient homes; and international experience best practices in public housing.
Minister Lake stated that his vision for public housing for the people is based on the recent Sint Maarten Housing Vision 2012-2020 Building Book that was presented by KAW Architects and Consultants to the minister in December 2013.
The project commissioned by the Government of Sint Maarten and financed by USONA entailed a review of legislation relating to housing, and a review of the housing policy. The project objective is to increase the quality of life and living conditions of residents with low and middle incomes through policies and legislation relating to adequate and social housing.
KPMG is a leading provider of Audit, Tax and Advisory Services in the Dutch Caribbean and Suriname markets.