News item | 6/30/2023 | 09:56
The Executive Council on Bonaire and Hugo de Jonge, Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning, signed the housing deal for Bonaire today. The goal is to realize 2124 affordable homes up to and including 2030. Minister De Jonge is making € 10 million available for the first tranche of the housing deal, which will enable the construction of the first 600 homes from 2025, including infrastructure.
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More affordable housing
At the moment there is already a lot of construction on Bonaire. Up to and including 2025, 444 social rental homes and affordable owner-occupied homes will be added. The go-ahead has now been given for the construction of 600 homes from 2025, and another 1100 homes will be added in the last tranches of the housing deal. This adds up to an additional 2124 affordable homes up to and including 2030.
Housing construction is desperately needed. The shortage of affordable housing on Bonaire has increased considerably in recent years. The population grew considerably: from 15,528 inhabitants in 2010 to 24,090 on 1 January 2023. As a result, more people are looking for a home. The price of building materials has also risen and capacity is scarce. It is especially difficult for people with lower and middle incomes to find affordable housing. With the Bonaire housing deal, the Executive Council of Bonaire and Minister De Jonge are joining forces to change that.
Kick-off approach to energy poverty
The housing deal was signed at the Hato location, where the Fundashon Cas Bonairiano (FCB) is building 254 homes. This concerns social rental housing and some affordable owner-occupied housing. The houses are built with pre-fab modules so that they are ready faster. A large proportion of these homes will immediately become energy efficient: solar panels with battery storage will be installed. During his visit to the construction site, Minister De Jonge immediately kicked off the approach of the Public Entity Bonaire (OLB) to combat energy poverty. The Ministries of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Economic Affairs and Climate have jointly set aside €900,000 for this.
The construction project at the Hato location is unique in its kind. Not many other places combine prefab construction, solar panels and battery storage on this scale. The prefab building hall will be on Bonaire in the future so that production can take place with local resources and people. WEB (Water and Electricity Company Bonaire) will monitor this pilot in order to gain better insight into tenants’ own consumption during the day and the effect on the network.
Building affordable housing in a liveable neighbourhood
The housing deal is part of the implementation of the Public 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 there is also a focus on better rent compensation, rent assessment committees will be set up on Saba and St. Eustatius and more financing options for buyers who just cannot manage the financing of their owner-occupied home. A new spatial development program will better protect everything beautiful and unique on land and sea. This program will soon be made available for inspection on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. Anyone can then submit a comment.