Housing entities eye lands at Easington, St Thomas

Two government agencies with responsibility for housing are reportedly expressing interest in acquiring properties in Easington, St Thomas, as part of ongoing efforts to expand housing development in the parish.

The Housing Agency of Jamaica is scheduled to conduct a site visit to lands in Easington this week, as part of an assessment process that could lead to the acquisition of properties currently owned by the St Thomas Municipal Corporation.

Chief Executive Officer Kevin McKindoe said the agency has already completed an initial review of the properties.

“They have done their desk assessment by looking at the NLA (National Land Agency) website, looking at the properties… looking at the topography,” the CEO said.

McKindoe explained that the upcoming visit will allow HAJ representatives to conduct on-the-ground evaluations before making a final decision on whether to proceed with the purchase of the lands.

He further revealed that the National Housing Trust is also expected to carry out its own assessment of the property, noting that the municipal corporation is “still awaiting the NHT to conduct their site visit”.

The developments form part of broader plans by the St Thomas Municipal Corporation to subdivide approximately 100 acres of land in Easington during the current year, with the aim of facilitating eventual disposal and development.

Easington, which falls in the Llandewey division, is located about 15 minutes by car from the town of Yallahs. In January, the corporation announced plans to regularise occupants already living on portions of the property by offering them the opportunity to obtain land titles.

The proposed subdivision and sale of the lands are intended to support future housing development while addressing long-standing land tenure issues affecting residents in the area.