Youth majority beneficiaries of housing allocations over past five years

A young homeowner

Fifty-four per cent of housing allocations over the last five years went to young people, Housing Minister Collin Croal said on Saturday.

The minister emphasised that this achievement is part of the government’s broader Policy Agenda for Economic and Social Transformation, which aims to make home ownership accessible to all Guyanese while empowering youth and women as central drivers of national development.

“Fifty-four per cent of the allocations that were done in the last period were to youth. And we are happy about that because it also signals, therefore, that the opportunity exists in time and period like persons like myself and before when we were coming up,” Croal said.

He noted that in the past, young people often struggled to own a home.

“The aspiration of owning your home at a young age was not there. In fact, you lived many years in your parents’ home or you’re renting because unable to cope with being able to pay your expenses and be able to acquire a mortgage or for lack of responses for allocations or for home ownership. Lack of responses would have seen persons losing hope,” he said.

Croal added that the government had allocated over 50,000 houses and house lots, though demand remains high, with many eligible applicants applying daily.

The minister also highlighted a focus on empowering women, particularly single mothers. “The allocations to women alone, to females, of that 53,000 was over 43 per ccent of the allocations.

That and based on our analysis of the applicants that are coming in, majority are females. It signals, therefore, empowerment of our women,” he said, adding that women’s increasing participation reflects their growing financial independence and ability to manage their affairs.

Looking ahead, Croal said the Ministry of Housing is expanding support for youth and women through new initiatives.

“We have started a homestead programme. You will see more support for, as I said, young people, single mothers now, a focus on single mothers, women,” he said.