The Government has paid out $38 million to 3,149 household under the First Home Ownership Initiative Assistance Programme.
Speaking in Parliament, Minister for Housing and Local Government Maciu Nalumisa said from the assistance, more than 1,800 households had their first homes constructed, the total grant pay-out exceeding $28 million and 1,200 households purchased their first homes with a total pay-out of over $9 million.
Nalumisa said for the current financial year, the Ministry of Housing has a total budget allocation of $6.5 million for the program-already paid out more than $3.3 million.
“A total of 183 households have benefitted from this, 96 received a grant to build their first homes and 87 households purchased their first homes. 110 households that were assisted were earning below $50,000 and the remaining 73 households were in the higher income range – the program is ongoing.”
He said the Ministry will incorporate a monitoring and evaluation framework and is also exploring options to support those that have taken on the initiative to construct their first home and lack funding to complete them.
