Bermudiana Beach Residences Should Be Used to Alleviate Bermuda’s Housing Crisis” says Michael Fahy

The  extent of the failing of the Bermudiana Beach Residences to alleviate the housing crisis affecting Bermudians was exposed in Parliament after answers were given to questions I posed to the Minister:

Response:

Five (5) Bermudians have leased units from the Bermudiana Development Company Ltd with the following make up – 1 studio, 3 one-bedroom and 1 two-bedroom.

Response:

* Eight (8) units have been leased from the Bermudiana Development Company Ltd by the Ministry of Public Works & Environment (MoP WE), Estates Department.

* The Ministry of Housing and Municipalities is not aware of the origins, business arrangements and makeup of the persons housed.

* The MoPWE/Estates has leased two of each type, studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units.

Response: As the units have been leased by the MoPWE/Estates department the Minister is not aware of subsidies, housing allowances, or other contractual arrangements they have with their clients, as this is not pertinent to the leasing of the units.

Of over 90 units at the complex only five have been rented to Bermudians to date. With over 300 people on waiting lists at BHC and 1100 people homeless or facing homelessness as identified by the charity HOME, this is unacceptable. The matter goes further. It was also revealed that a Government Ministry is leasing a number of units. The question is – for who? What is happening here is that the Bermuda taxpayer is paying twice for this debacle – the revamp of the building and then potentially the rental costs of some of the units if Government is not being reimbursed for renting the units to others.

 In the meantime, Minister DeSilva advised that modular housing will be introduced to Bermuda to help move the dial on BHC waiting lists. As yet the units have not received planning permission which seems strange given that the units have already been purchased. Why not are Bermudians going to be placed in modular housing while perfectly good housing units sit empty on South shore?

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