SANTO DOMINGO – Of the 11,529 housing units being built by the current government through the Happy Family National Housing Plan, 9,600 will be delivered this year. This was announced by the Minister of the Presidency, Joel Santos Echavarría, who emphasized that beneficiaries of this program only contribute between 2% and 5% of the down payment, while the government covers between 25% and 28% through the Down Payment Bonus and 8% of the property value as part of the First Home Bonus.
The official specified that 3,979 housing units have already been built and that the government has allocated RD$1.108 billion as part of the Initial Bonus, ITBIS Bonus, and 7-Year Interest Rate Bonus to minimize property costs. In addition, the Women's Bonus, through which the Ministry of Women has benefited 504 female heads of household, covers between 8% and 10% of the property cost, exceeding RD$39 million to date.
He emphasized that housing solutions have a cost range from RD$1.7 million to RD$2.9 million, and that a maximum of up to RD$325 is allocated as a contribution towards the initial payment of the property.
The minister explained that the Happy Family Plan is structured so that heads of household belonging to the low and middle economic segments can have access to decent housing, in accordance with their family income levels, helping financially with the initial payment, the ITBIS (Value Added Tax) and through a subsidy of the bank loan rate.
“Through Familia Feliz, the Government supports beneficiaries with the initial payment, granting them from 25 to 28% of the value of the home, so that they only contribute between 2% and 5% of the value of the home, with payment facilities from the builder,” he said.
Santos Echavarría further explained: “We also grant the 7-Year Interest Rate Bonus subsidy, which is equivalent to between 4 and 5 percentage points of the interest rate, which translates to approximately RD$3,500 to RD$4,000 per month for 7 years, as part of the co-payment for the bank loan, to ensure that the beneficiary completes the process of acquiring their new, decent housing, with a monthly payment equal to or less than the amount they currently pay in rent.”.
He explained that the homes in the Happy Family Plan are part of a public-private partnership initiative, built by private sector developers. “To date, 3,979 homes have been built and RD$1.108 billion in vouchers have been allocated for homeownership,” he emphasized.
For his part, the Deputy Minister of Investment Projects, Camel Curi Lora, reported that in the first five months of 2024, 704 apartments have been delivered and that 934 are on the waiting list to be inaugurated.
He indicated that projects are currently being developed in districts that include Nigua, San Cristóbal, Higüey, Santiago, Valverde, San Francisco de Macorís, the National District, Santo Domingo Este, La Romana, Neiba and Nagua.
"From the point of view of the indicators, the Plan has benefited 5% of families with members with disabilities; 15% of those at poverty thresholds, with an index of 1 and 2; 20% of vulnerable people and 54% of female heads of household," he said.
He recalled that last March, 128 of the 394 apartments of the Happy Family Plan were delivered to members of the National Police, as part of the efforts surrounding the reform of the law enforcement institution, within the Citizen Security Plan, with an investment of more than RD$109.0 MM, distributed in Initial Bonus, ITBIS Bonus and 7-Year Rate Bonus, in addition to RD$400,000 that each National Police officer will receive as an incentive from the agency.
He also detailed that in March the Government launched the Plan in the municipality of Neiba, Bahoruco province, with the construction of the Vista del Lago Residential complex, which will have 256 housing solutions and will impact more than 1,300 people, who will see the dream of having their own decent home materialized.
Similarly, he said that details are being finalized to begin in the coming months 10,000 housing solutions that will be built in Hato del Yaque, Santiago de los Caballeros and that will have sports complexes, plazas, schools, health centers and a series of services and supermarkets, in the style of the Ciudad Juan Bosch urban project.
With information from Listín Diario.
Front page: Joel Santos, Minister of the Presidency. (Listín Diario).
