News item | 15-11-2023 | 18:02
The Executive Council on Saba and Alexandra van Huffelen, State Secretary for Kingdom Relations, today signed the Letter of Intent for Saba. The intention is to realize approximately 50 affordable rental and owner-occupied homes by 2030 and to make self-build more affordable.
The government wants to improve living standards and combat poverty in the Caribbean Netherlands, also with the help of measures in the field of housing. That is why, in the coming years, affordable owner-occupied and rental homes will be built on Saba, so that people with a modest income can get a home that better matches that income.
Building affordable housing together
The Public Entity Saba (OLS) provides the construction sites for the new homes. The State Secretary and the OLS jointly want to realize approximately 50 affordable owner-occupied and rental homes by 2030 at the latest. Housing association Bazalt Wonen, which has been active on Saba for years, builds some of the homes as social housing for people with a modest income. With the landlord subsidy (VHS), Bazalt Wonen ensures that the personal contribution to rent remains affordable for future tenants with a low income.
Points system for renting
Housing must become more affordable for tenants. A points system with maximum rents will be introduced for the social rental sector. The number of points a home receives depends on, for example, the number of rooms, living space and outdoor space. Each number of points has a maximum rental price. In this way, tenants will pay a rent that matches the home they rent. An island ordinance must regulate this before 2025.
More support for self-build
Saba has a strong tradition of building your own home. The preparatory construction work, including excavation, construction of a cistern, septic tank and foundation, is very expensive. Usually these costs cannot be included in the mortgage. To improve the affordability of building a home yourself, there will be an island scheme for financing, for example, the cistern, the septic tank and/or the foundation.
Building affordable housing in a liveable neighborhood
The Letter of Intent is part of the implementation of the Housing and Spatial Planning policy agenda for the Caribbean Netherlands. This was published on January 22, 2023. The aim is to make affordable housing possible for more people and to protect the living environment on the islands. That is why efforts are being made to provide better rental compensation, a rental commission on Saba and more financing options for buyers who are unable to finance their home.