$150B to fund land, housing, regularisation — Min Croal
February 12 2025
Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal has announced that the government’s $150 billion housing allocation for 2026 will support new housing initiatives, infrastructure development, land acquisition, regularisation of informal settlements, and direct assistance to families building or improving their homes.
The disclosure was made on Wednesday during the third day of the Budget 2026 Estimates and Expenditure debates at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where the minister responded to questions from members of the Committee of Supply.
Minister Croal explained that the allocation covers both ongoing commitments and new programmes designed to expand access to home ownership. The budget includes funding for rollover housing projects, new initiatives valued at $48.2 billion, $1.1 billion for regularising informal settlements, $2.275 billion for land acquisition for new housing schemes, $2.65 billion for utilities infrastructure, and $5.4 billion for infrastructure upgrades in existing communities.
Regularisation and Relocation Efforts
The minister said the ministry is continuing an aggressive programme to address squatting while regularising eligible informal settlements and relocating residents from zero-tolerance areas such as sea defence reserves, drainage reserves and other locations that obstruct major infrastructure works.
Several communities in Regions Three, Four and Ten have been targeted for regularisation in 2026, while relocation efforts are ongoing in Parika, Anna Catherina, Ruby and sections of the sea defences. In some instances, affected residents have already been identified and allocated land in new housing developments.
Direct Support for Home Construction
Croal also outlined a $7.5 billion budgetary allocation to assist vulnerable families with home construction and improvements. The programme will continue subsidies for steel and cement for foundations, provide assistance for home repairs, support the completion of partially built homes, facilitate construction of core homes, and expand hinterland housing initiatives.
Of that amount, $2.5 billion has been earmarked specifically for housing projects in hinterland communities, covering both new builds and home improvement grants.
Infrastructure and New Housing Developments
The minister noted that significant funding is being directed toward infrastructure projects that support housing expansion, including road upgrades and new access routes to developing schemes. Planned works for 2026 include asphalt overlays from Schoonord to Crane, upgrades along sections of the Heroes Highway, and the start of a new highway linking Schoonord to Parika.
Development of new housing areas is also progressing, including the Charity housing scheme, where drainage works are underway to prepare lands for future allocations.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding land ownership, reducing squatting, and improving living conditions nationwide, emphasising that the administration intends to ensure that all citizens have opportunities for legal home ownership and adequate housing.
