DONALD MOORE, senior general manager of the National Housing Trust (NHT), believes the 240 studio units to be constructed on Howard Avenue in St Andrew will be oversubscribed when the project is completed in 2024.

The project is being pursued in partnership with Centauri Real Estate Company Limited under the NHT’S Guaranteed Purchase Programme.

While welcoming the development, some residents of the community have expressed disappointment that the proposed apartments did not make provision for two-bedroom units to house families with more than one child.

Ground was broken for the $2.4-billion project on Wednesday.

While a final price for the studio units has not yet been determined, Moore told The Gleaner that the cost could be in the region of $10 million.

Other facilities that will be available at the complex include a play area, exercise area, rooftop garden, and a jogging and walking trail.

Marie Salmon, a resident of Waltham Park, which is in close proximity to the area, is elated that an apartment complex is to be constructed in the community.

“I feel good to know that they are uplifting the community because it was a ball field and bush,” salmon said. “If it [was] a two-bedroom apartment, then I would be interested because me and my family can’t live in one bedroom.”

Another resident, Beverley Watson, told The Gleaner that the apartments would open an avenue for young people in the community to own a studio unit.

Watson said she would be willing to join with her son to apply for one of the units under the NHT’S inter-generational mortgage programme.

“A lot of people are happy about it, people who have ambition and really want something for themselves,” Watson said.

Under the NHT’S selection process, Moore said that persons who have contributed the longest and have lower incomes are selected first. He said that the persons who apply will be ranked, with the ones with the highest number of points being first.

“Now, dependent on your situation, your income and age, and how long you have to pay back, we can calculate your affordability,” said Moore.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who broke ground for the development, said the keys should be handed over to the NHT in October 2024.

“Within the last two years, the NHT has shifted to focus on what we call the affordable-income segment of the market. So we are redirecting the resources of the NHT to focus on houses for persons who are lowincome earners or middle- to lowerincome earners ... . ,” said Holness.