HDC INTERVIEW

[K74T]

What's that supposed to mean?

[konartis]

Well well Alya see who they put for housing minister Marlene Mc Donald. Boy i really hope she help Indian people get house. Thank God For Moonilal yes. Guys who apply have faith trust in God.

True...she is very racial

[urbandilema]

Hahha good one I done.hdc is for who yuh know a d the rear cases u get picked.my parents applied when dem was nha times and only got thru late as he bought out home wey b4.i not sure about the Mc Donald aspect as I tink she was there already and but can't someone remind me

[urbandilema]

After seeing the residents of wellington road of debe getting the raw deal from the hdc I kinda glad I gave up my idea of getting through with that Avenue for a house

[TriniAutoMart]

After seeing the residents of wellington road of debe getting the raw deal from the hdc I kinda glad I gave up my idea of getting through with that Avenue for a house

What happened to the residents in Debe?

[urbandilema]

Dey protesting about their homes at debe and wants their mp to sort them out..cud check it out on facebook page of cnews.some say also rel pressure ad they got bad work as in leaks as inferior material

[TriniAutoMart]

Checked it out. There's a security issue too apparently. They want them remove guard dogs and burglar proofing as they don't have the permission for these things.

[urbandilema]

To me this is wrong yes..I am a dog lover and it has some security to it as well as companionship to it

[HSA]

if yuh squatting yuh squatting...no shades of grey here...gtfo of state or ppl land...

[daas]

Who's the injun reporter though?

[rane]

Well let we see how much people going to get house under pnm now

[zoom rader]

Well let we see how much people going to get house under pnm now

Under Marlene McDonald not a jhandis will get planted.

[konartis]

Well let we see how much people going to get house under pnm now

Under Marlene McDonald not a jhandis will get planted.

For real she is really racial, although persons close to her say she is actually really nice, but I doubt.

[zoom rader]

Well let we see how much people going to get house under pnm now

Under Marlene McDonald not a jhandis will get planted.

For real she is really racial, although persons close to her say she is actually really nice, but I doubt.

Person close to her are all PNM and look like Carmile Robinson-Regis. Jhandis is not in their favour.

[zoom rader]

Well this Jack asre government is at it again.
To qualify for a house now u must not cross $25k per month joint income salary
Lots of people cut out from owning a home.

Only ppl that support this government will now qualify which will further add to voter padding

But ppl vote for that

[rane]

Well everyone know I got 2 house under aunty kams government .
TTMF call me a few weeks ago to convert me into my mortgage them say walk with $20k cash to pay all your lawyer fees. So in my mind now I was like wtf going on here. There is alot behind these hdc houses. So new home owners make sure u ask questions

[urbandilema]

Well this Jack asre government is at it again.
To qualify for a house now u must not cross $25k per month joint income salary
Lots of people cut out from owning a home.

Only ppl that support this government will now qualify which will further add to voter padding

But ppl vote for that

I agree man

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

Well this Jack asre government is at it again.
To qualify for a house now u must not cross $25k per month joint income salary
Lots of people cut out from owning a home.

Only ppl that support this government will now qualify which will further add to voter padding

But ppl vote for that

I agree man

A couple earning $45,000 tt per month together really shouldn't need access to housing that was designed for low to middle income households. Especially when 60% of the working class is paid $9,000 or less.


http://m.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-11-19 ... lowing-law


HDC was not following the law


Gail Alexander
Published:
Friday, November 20, 2015
Govt adjusts qualifying salaries for homes...

Maxie Cuffie
As of yesterday, people who had applied for Housing Development Corporation-subsidised housing on the basis of a joint monthly income of $45,000 will no longer be eligible for such housing — even if they had pre-qualified for the process — and people with a joint monthly income of $25,000 will be allowed to access that housing instead.

After Communication Minister Maxie Cuffie announced the new policy decision yesterday — reversing the People’s Partnership administration’s previous policy — former housing minister Dr Roodal Moonilal said the change would prevent 80,000 people from obtaining subsidised housing, including largely public servants and protective services personnel.

“Generally, it will now be government workers who will feel the pain of this policy. It’s a sour Christmas gift for public servants, teachers, administrative officers, protective service officers and similar middle income workers to receive,” Moonilal added.

Cuffie announced the change of policy at yesterday’s weekly post-Cabinet media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister, saying those applicants with a joint income of $45,000 would be taken off the HDC applicant list immediately and the new policy would apply for the future. He said all homes to be distributed in future would be in keeping with that policy.

“If persons in that category ($45,000 joint earning) have applied (and qualified) they would no longer be eligible for subsidised housing... once a decision is taken. It’s either you are allocated a house and get a key; if you haven’t been allocated, then the decision applies to that,” Cuffie said.

He said the decision to change the PP’s previous policy of last year, which allowed applicants with a joint income of $45,000 to qualify for subsidised state housing, was taken by Cabinet yesterday.

Cuffie added: “We wanted to bring the qualifying limit closer to what was originally envisaged in the Act of 2005 (in People’s National Movement’s tenure) which stipulated that the HDC should do everything to provide affordable shelter and associated community facilities for low and middle income citizens...”

“The first thing we took into consideration was the fact that the HDC’s mandate was for low and middle income housing... the primary purpose of this change was to ensure the HDC operates by law.”

Cuffie said the original PNM stipulation was reversed by the PP, which led to low cost housing being afforded to people of higher income and this affected the availability of houses to lower income earners. He said Central Statistical Office (CSO) data showed 60 per cent of employed people earn less than $9,000 a month.

“So when you look at the fact that 60 per cent of the population earns $9,000 and less, you’ll see the HDC was operating outside of its mandate and it needed to operate according to law. Raising the joint income limit to $45,000 allowed it to operate outside the law.

“So the revision to the $25,000 joint income limit (the upper level) is in keeping with the HDC’s mandate to serve lower and middle income citizens,” he added

He said the CSO data suggested that those earning above $25,000 would be a small portion of the market and “would be able to access funding and financing on the private market.”

He later told the T&T Guardian that the total number of people who have applied for houses currently stands at 160,000. He maintained, however, that 60 per cent of that number had a joint monthly income of $9,000.

Cuffie added: “If you construct houses for the $45,000 bracket, you’re taking scarce resources from where it’s most needed and providing subsidised housing for people who may not really need it.”

He couldn’t say, however, how many people who were allocated houses but had not yet received keys, might now fall into the group of those ineligible.

“That is a very detailed question I cannot answer now,” Cuffie said.

He said he was not sure it was correct that the new policy would eliminate a group of people who now, would not be able to own a house in the current market.

He added: “Prior to this decision, the real estate market was very vibrant and the mere affording of the $45,000 limit impacted on the real estate market generally. By bringing back the limit to $25,000, we would be allowing people to enter the private housing market where people were comfortable before the (PP) change (of limit).

“I don’t think the issue is accessing housing, as much as it’s that more people under the $25,000 monthly limit, where there are the most people seeking housing, we would have more houses and resources available to provide housing for them.”

On people with joint incomes of $45,000 who had already received a house, Cuffie said: “I don’t think we can do anything about that. It’s in the past. What we are dealing with (the $25,000 joint income limit) is for future allocations.”

He said the country had seen a significant increase in state housing construction costs over the last five years.

Cuffie said HDC would resume distributing keys for houses this weekend in Diego Martin and other areas.

Cuffie referred other queries to Housing Minister Marlene McDonald, who didn’t answer calls and emailed queries.

HDC managing director Jearlean John was not available for comment on the policy change yesterday.

[zoom rader]

^^^ Everyone pays taxes if you working for 25k, 35k or 45k you must have an equal chance in accessing state resources . Some earning 26k or 45K could have a full family of 4kids .

This new measures will further send rents and private house prices up, but on the other hand PNM ppl will get houses.

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

^^^ Everyone pays taxes if you working for 25k, 35k or 45k you must have an equal chance in accessing state resources . Some earning 26k or 45K could have a full family of 4kids .

This new measures will further send rents and private house prices up, but on the other hand PNM ppl will get houses.

A person working for 24k gets approximately $16K to $17K after taxes, national insurance and health surcharges and pension. Joint income at that salary nets the couple $32 to $34K. The same advice you give to poor people about having too many kids they can't afford can apply to persons better off.

You mean to say a couple making net $32 to $34K should have access to the same low income houses that a couple making net $16K (each making $9K and then taxed not including pension, NIS etc)?

Do you also think persons earning $25K, $35K and above should have access to government food cards? Ent tuner always says we need to get rid of the gimme gimme culture? Your point about everyone having equal access to state resources regardless of their economic situation is pretty gimme gimme.

[5onDfloor]

^^a man just got OWNED!!! Zr, are you ok?

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

http://lateoclocknews.com/breaking-thou ... e-housing/

Breaking: Thousands Of Middle Class Trinidadians Quit Jobs In Order To Qualify For Low Income Housing

Following the statement by Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie that the applicants making over $25,000 monthly would no longer be eligible for low income housing, thousands of Trinbagonians are reportedly walking off their jobs and vowing never to return in a bid to continue qualifying for HDC (Housing Development Corporation) houses.

“Low income is a relative thing,” said Damion Gosine, a partner at a prestigious law firm. “I made a certain amount of money but lawyers from other firms are making almost double my income. Why can’t I qualify for low income housing? This is discrimination! The other lawyers all looking to buy the 2016 Audi A6 and I have to stay here with my outdated 2014 model? How am I supposed to afford basic luxuries without the subsidized mortgage on an HDC house? If this is the case its better I leave this lawyer work, because it not doing anything for me.

Places that pay the minimum wage have been swamped by ex-professionals looking for work, and there is a real worry that the market will not be able to accommodate them all.

“We are currently looking at a system that would see people with an even number of letters in their name come in on certain days, and people with an odd number of letters in their name come in on the other days” said Paula Chasteau manager of a local fast food outlet, “We are trying to accommodate as many people as we can but there is just not enough work for everyone”.

Calls to Housing Minister Marlene McDonald and HDC managing director Jearleane John went unanswered, as sources told us they were too busy to take the calls of low income peasants like ourselves.

[Morpheus]

So no UNC people working for less than 25k Zoomie?

Be fair nah man. It affects a certain income bracket REGARDLESS of UNC or PNM.....

Smh. Allyuh leave he nah. Sept 7th cut deeper than we thought.....

[j.o.e]

A2BE hit ZR a KO with facts and logic ...... ZR will return and not respond

[j.o.e]

http://www.looptt.com/content/kamla-playing-gender-card

Meanwhile, Khan has suggested that the reason the party did not capture key marginal seats was because HDC houses were given to supporters of the People’s National Movement (PNM).

“So when you see we lose Tunapuna, when you see we lose St Joseph, when you see we lost San Fernando West, understand who the houses went to.”
“…You gave 500 houses a week… but to who? Not to us. Because all our vote banks dropped.”
“Had we given these houses to our people or equitably, we would at least rise a little.”

Thought houses were given by random draw? How come Fuad Khan knows who supported who? Who is 'our' people ?

[zoom rader]

So no UNC people working for less than 25k Zoomie?

Be fair nah man. It affects a certain income bracket REGARDLESS of UNC or PNM.....

Smh. Allyuh leave he nah. Sept 7th cut deeper than we thought.....

Even if they did qualify on income they have the name and photo test to pass.
As I said not a jhandis will get planted under this government .

The same will come for GATE, look like Salman Khan and you have to fund your own education.

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

*snip* ...... ZR will return and not respond

You called it correct.

[zoom rader]

*snip* ...... ZR will return and not respond

You called it correct.

Respond for what?
I made it quite clear that we all pay taxes and everyone regardless of their earnings must given a fair chance at state resources.

If they don't want mid to big earners getting housing then they should pay less taxes.

At the rate this government going they will look to take away NIS pensions from big earners

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

*snip* ...... ZR will return and not respond

You called it correct.

Respond for what?
I made it quite clear that we all pay taxes and everyone regardless of their earnings must given a fair chance at state resources.

If they don't want mid to big earners getting housing then they should pay less taxes.

At the rate this government going they will look to take away NIS pensions from big earners

Clearly you are a cheerleader for the gimme gimme mentality.

[zoom rader]

*snip* ...... ZR will return and not respond

You called it correct.

Respond for what?
I made it quite clear that we all pay taxes and everyone regardless of their earnings must given a fair chance at state resources.

If they don't want mid to big earners getting housing then they should pay less taxes.

At the rate this government going they will look to take away NIS pensions from big earners

Clearly you are a cheerleader for the gimme gimme mentality.

People pay taxes and must get value in return.
Gimme Gimme Ppl hardly pays any taxes.
It's the middle class ppl that pay the bulk of taxes but they get little in return.