SANTO DOMINGO. The Government is working on developing a protocol to allow Dominicans residing abroad to access mortgage loans quickly, so they can obtain low-cost housing in their homeland.
This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Investment Projects of the Ministry of the Presidency, Camel Curi, who specified that together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mirex) and the Association of Multiple Banks of the Dominican Republic (ABA), a scheme of additional facilities is already being developed so that Dominicans in the diaspora can access a mortgage loan in an agile manner.
Curi provided the information while leading two virtual meetings with Dominican communities residing in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain, in which he offered information about the requirements for acquiring low-cost housing from abroad.
A press release indicates that the Dominican consuls in Barcelona and Spain, Antonio José Gómez and Miguel Ángel Vásquez, respectively, participated in the event, as well as dozens of people interested in acquiring a home in the Dominican Republic, with a view to returning to their homeland.
Participants received information about the different subsidies that the Government grants to the beneficiaries of the Plan, such as the Initial Bonus, ITBIS, 7-Year Rate and the Women's Bonus.
Vice Minister Camel Curi stated that President Luis Abinader, since the launch of the Happy Family Plan, has been emphatic about ensuring that the benefits reach the Dominican diaspora, highlighting his commitment to Dominicans residing abroad, as they constitute one of the main sources of the national economy through remittances sent to their relatives in the country.
For their part, the consuls in Barcelona and Madrid stated that the Happy Family Plan not only represents a “roof over their heads”, but also the realization of dreams and the construction of a more stable future for Dominican families who wish to return to their nation in the future.
“This meeting is the result of collaboration between the Consulate General of the Dominican Republic in Barcelona and the Vice Ministry of Investment Projects of the Ministry of the Presidency, whose mission is to ensure that the Dominican community abroad has the opportunity to have adequate housing in their country,” the Dominican diplomat in Barcelona stated, according to the press release.
About the project
During the meeting, while offering details of the program, the head of Family Happy Recruitment, Givelle de la Rosa, explained that the Plan is based on a public-private partnership, in which the State provides beneficiaries with three bonuses for housing financing: the Initial Bonus, a contribution to the initial payment of the apartment, based on the value of the property; the ITBIS Bonus, which applies to first homes; and the Rate Bonus, which is a mortgage loan subsidy for seven years.
He assured that this program complements all processes linked to health and financial education programs.
De la Rosa also indicated that the target families for this Plan are those in vulnerable social conditions and those with a disabled or elderly member within their family unit. It is also aimed at single mothers and Dominicans residing abroad who are considering returning to the country.
The projects being built under the Happy Family National Housing Plan are housing solutions of the type Subsidized Housing (Visub); Priority Social Interest Housing (VIP) and Social Interest Housing (VIS).
