Housing Authority revisits the selection process

ROBERT SEN

An independent Committee will now be in charge of all selection and allocation of lots for the Housing Authority.

Chief Executive Robert Sen says this was a key recommendation of the Special Investigation Report by the Office of the Auditor-General.

The investigation was conducted following allegations of corruption.

Sen says the Authority has revisited the selection process to strengthen good governance.

“All the allocation that will be reviewed by our marketing team it will be passed to other managers or the independent person in the committee to review it to make sure all the process and criteria has been adhered to.”

The Authority has so far implemented 15 major recommendations and 5 have been partially executed.

Sen says they are improving the internal processes to be transparent and provide Fijians with equal opportunities.

“One of them was the policy on the criteria of allocation. We have together with our management team and the board reviewed the criteria and we are looking at some other options.”

The Housing Authority will now also be working with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Services and the Lands Department to verify the details and revenue of the applicants.

Credit: FBC

Date: 15/3/2021

First Home Grant Assistance Programme to continue in the next financial year

Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. [Image: Fijian Government]

Good news for people who are planning to build or buy a new home as the First Home Grant Assistance Programme will continue in the next financial year.

334 families have been assisted under the Programme in the 2020-2021 financial year where 183 families received the grant to construct their first home, 112 families received the grant to purchase their first homes and 40 families received the grant to purchase their first land.

While speaking in the Virtual Public National Budget Consultation from Singapore, Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum confirmed that the programme has been working very well and they will continue with it.

Sayed-Khaiyum adds they have approved some new applications which have not been funded yet because the funds that was allocated has been used due to the huge demand.

He says they have reallocated funds and has assured people that these applications will be funded in this financial year.

Sayed-Khaiyum says it is interesting to note that 183 new homes were built which is what they wanted because more construction work means more jobs created for Fijians.

2,978 Fijians have been assisted since the inception of the programme in 2014 with a total payout in excess of $28.6 million.

The total pay-out for this financial year is in excess of $5 million.

People who earn $50,000 or less and are building their first home are eligible for a grant of $30,000. They will get $15,000 if they buy their first home.

People earning above $50,000 annually can be granted $20,000 to build their first home or $5,000 to buy their first home.

Credit: Fijivillage

Date: 3/3/2021

New projects for Public Rental Board

HOUSING MINISTER PREMILA KUMAR

Public Rental Board is currently constructing 36 units in Simla, Lautoka which is fully funded by the government.

Housing Minister Premila Kumar says this project aims to meet the housing needs of Fijians.

Kumar says the operating income for PRB in 2016 was $4 million as a result of an increase in rental flats from 1343 to 1553 after the completion of Raiwai flats.

She adds two housing projects were commissioned in Savusavu and Kalabu, Nasinu in 2016.

“In Savusavu 48 units were developed at a cost of $3.8m. In Kalabu 36 units were developed for a sum of $2.2m”.

Kumar adds people treating PRB flats as permanent homes continue to be an issue.

She adds PRB also has planned projects for Newtown and Raiwaqa.

The Minister says new projects will provide an extra 358 flats.

Credit: FBC

Date: 8/2/2021

$1.5m paid out in housing grant

n the first quarter of this year, $1.5m has been paid out under the Housing Ministry’s First Home and First Land Purchase Grant.

Permanent Secretary Sanjeeva Perera says 121 applications have already been approved.

The Ministry has been receiving a lot of positive response since the announcement of the Programe in the 2020/21 national budget.

“Majority of it was first home grants. And we’ve made a payout of just over $1.5m already. And at the moment there are about another 145 applications that are in the final stages of processing. Which once approved will be least about another $2.2m payout actually. So we have a budget of $6m altogether this year for the first home and first land grant.”

Perera adds the grant also aims to generate economic activity during the COVID-19 period.

“The purpose of the increase in the grant this year was to mainly sort of use it as a boost into the construction industry. I believe at the same time to keep the residential financial market afloat. So more people get encouraged to build houses and then it also generates more housing loans and things.”

Housing Minister Premila Kumar says it’s important the right people are assisted in any housing scheme.

Credit: FBC

Date: 23/11/2020

New lots to encourage people to own properties

Housing Minister Premila Kumar discusses an issue with her team at the new subdivision area in Tuatua, Labasa. Picture: SERAFINA SILAITOGA

A new $4.4 million residential area spearheaded by the Housing Authority of Fiji (HA) is being developed in Labasa.

Housing Minister Premila Kumar and the authority’s chief executive officer Robert Sen visited the site in Tuatua yesterday which has been cleared by the contractor.

The newly-developed lots, Mrs Kumar said, was to encourage people to own their properties including Public Rental Board (PRB) tenants who could also apply.

However, she stressed that a thorough check of all application forms would be conducted.

This, she said was necessary because past practices of Housing Authority resulted in people purchasing more than one property.

“We are trying to change that system and ensure that all Fijians are able to own a house,” she said.

“In the past, we have seen that some Housing Authority customers sell their property and buy another property that falls under HA.

“How is that possible? So we are fixing the system and ensure that first-time home owners are given a chance to purchase.”

PRB tenants in Labasa also asked Mrs Kumar during a talanoa session if they could be given the first priority to purchase blocks from this new lot.

She told the tenants that it would depend on their financial eligibility.

“But I encourage you all to own a property because PRB flats are not permanent houses for tenants,” she said.

“You stay in these flats and pay low rent so you can all save up and buy a property.”

Credit: The Fiji Times

Date: 21/10/2020

Housing Board to assess all applications

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER SAYS EVERY APPLICATION FOR HOUSING FLAT OR LAND WILL NOW THOROUGHLY ASSESSED BY THE BOARD. [SOURCE: TWITTER]

The Local Government Minister says every application for Housing flat or land will now be thoroughly assessed by the Board.

Minister Premila Kumar highlighted this while visiting the settlements and PRB flats in Labasa.

She highlighted the fraudulent activities at the Housing Authority in relation to lot allotments.

Kumar says similar problems in PRB flats have also surfaced where tenants are not disclosing correct information.

“From now onwards every flat that is allocated or any land that is allocated it will be approved by the Board. One of the biggest problems we found in the Housing Authority was that when people applied for a block a thorough check was not made.”

She informed the PRB tenants that due to the fraudulent activities a special investigation was carried out at the Authority.

The report is now with the Minister.

Credit: FBC

Date: 21/10/2020

Findings of Housing Authority Investigation Report Be Made Public

Minister for Housing and Community Development Premila Kumar receiving the two Reports from HA Board Chair, Lorraine Seeto.

Minister for Housing and Community Development Premila Kumar was yesterday presented with the Housing Authority of Fiji Special Investigation Report by the Office of the Auditor-General and the Public Inquiry Committee Reports.

In receiving the two Reports from the Housing Authority of Fiji Board of Directors Chairperson Lorraine seeto, the Minister thanked the Office of the Auditor General and the Public Inquiry Committee for their service and commitment and also members of the public who participated in the consultations.

“I thank the Public Inquiry Committee and the Office of the Auditor-General for working tirelessly in getting these reports finalised. Holding consultations nationwide as part of public inquiry is not always an easy task. I thank the Committee for the determination to complete its work in a timely manner.

“I also thank those who attended and participated in these consultations and sharing their information and complaints with the Committee,” said Hon. Kumar.

The Minister added that the Ministry will now study the report and she would be making comments on the Reports in a couple of weeks times, on recommendations and way forward.

“We will be going through the contents of the Reports amd will inform the public on the findings and recommendations,” Ms Kumar stated.

Credi: Fiji Sun

Date: 15/10/2020

Housing Authority extends COVID-19 relief package assistance

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL EXTEND ITS ASSISTANCE PACKAGE TO AFFECTED CUSTOMERS UP TO 31ST DECEMBER 2020.

As the country continues to face the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Housing Authority will extend its assistance package to affected customers up to 31st December 2020.

Housing Authority says in assisting customers impacted by the COVID 19 crisis, it will provide three months’ holiday on repayment of loan, an extension of the term of the loan without any fees or repayment of interest only, or a three-month holiday on the repayment of the loan with extension to the term of the loan.

This will be given on a case by case basis.

Housing Authority says those wishing to apply must also present a completed application form; a letter from Employer signed by Human Resource Manager, and their latest salary slip or statutory declaration if unemployed.

It says existing recipients need not apply again but a recent status on employment will be required after the conclusion of relief period as per letters given to each applicant.

Credit: FBC

Date: 9/10/2020

Fijians in maritime and rural areas can now get plans for a 2 bedroom house for free from Ministry of Housing

People can get the plan from the Ministry’s website on housing.gov.fj

People living in rural and maritime areas can now get an engineer certified plan for a 2 bedroom house from the Ministry of Housing at no cost to them.

This means Fijians will not have to spend hundreds of dollars on engineers and architects when drawing up plans for a two-bedroom home.

This has been revealed by the Minister for Housing, Premila Kumar who says these houses are engineered to withstand category 4 cyclones as the maritime communities are mostly impacted by cyclones.

She says the plan is for a weatherboard house that can be built with materials worth $18,700.

The plan also includes the price listings of the materials to be used.

The concept design was provided by the Koro-I-Pita Model Town Trust and Shri Singh and Associates and Rawlinson Jenkins Pte Ltd assisted with the engineering certification and the bill of quantities for the house plan.

Kumar says this will also benefit those living in informal settlements as they would not have to get an architect and an engineer to draw up plans for their houses when their settlements are upgraded.

Fijians who want to construct the 2 bedroom homes in urban areas will need to get approval from their respective municipalities.

The Minister says the plan can also assist those who want to get money from their FNPF accounts to construct their home as it has been accepted by the Fund.

She has also confirmed that the Ministry is developing plans for two and three-bedroom homes suitable for the urban areas.

People can get the plan from the Ministry’s website on housing.gov.fj

They are only required to enter their name, email address, TIN and reason for downloading the plan.

Fijians can also visit the Ministry of Housing where a computer has been dedicated for people to download the plan and also get printouts.

Credit: Fijivillage

Date: 7/10/2020

Housing Ministry launches new house plan

LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER PREMILA KUMAR.

With climate change expected to increase the intensity of Tropical Cyclones, there’s a need to build houses that can withstand such natural disasters.

Local Government Minister Premila Kumar today launched a new two-bedroom house plan which is designed to encourage Fijians to build better and stronger homes.

Kumar says the plan has been developed for the housing assistance provided by Government especially for those living in rural and maritime areas.

“As you know in rural in maritime areas they are confronted with cyclones and hurricanes and the government needs to ensure that the houses that are built are cyclone compliant.”

Kumar says the cost of materials to build these homes is $18,700.

This is based on the Government tender prices set for the Rural Housing Assistance Program.

She adds the Ministry will soon be introducing a two and three-bedroom house plan for urban areas as well.

Credit: FBC

Date: 6/10/2020