Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that his administration will provide direct financial support to homeowners to repair or rebuild their properties, as part of a broader effort to eliminate substandard housing across Antigua and Barbuda.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne described the initiative as a significant shift in how housing assistance is delivered, moving away from a focus on new construction toward targeted support for existing property owners who lack the means to upgrade their homes.
"We'll be introducing a new programme… in which our government will be providing funding directly to individuals to help them to repair or rebuild their homes," Browne said.
The Prime Minister said the programme is designed to address what he called "pockets of poverty" and the persistent presence of deteriorating housing in several communities. "We are very concerned about the pockets of poverty within the country… and we're trying to literally rid the country of all dilapidated homes," he said.
Browne identified Point, Villa, Fort Road, Grace Farm, Otters and Green Bay among the communities expected to benefit from the initiative.
The new programme is intended to complement existing government housing efforts, which have centred largely on subsidised construction projects, by extending assistance to citizens who own land or property but cannot afford necessary improvements.
Browne framed the policy within a wider agenda to raise living standards and reduce inequality, alongside ongoing government investments in education and healthcare. "At the end of the day, it's about improving the living standards of the people," he said.
The announcement comes as housing affordability and living conditions remain prominent concerns ahead of a general election, with the administration outlining a series of initiatives aimed at expanding access to adequate housing for residents across the country.
