OVERVIEW OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES UNIT
The Social Services Unit is primarily tasked with the divestment of residential housing solutions (land/units) owned by the Minister of Housing. Housing solutions are generally classified as brownfield sites or greenfield sites, the former signifies that the properties are occupied whilst the latter is specific to vacant land. In brownfield areas/sites the Ministry takes the steps to regularize the occupants, whilst on greenfield areas/sites the lots are advertised for sale in print media (local newspaper, Ministry’s website, and all Regional Offices).
The Unit’s objective is to effectively administer the Ministry’s policies and procedures to ensure the efficient divestment of the housing stock. The Unit is comprised of three (3) teams: Community Development, Housing, and Compliance and Investigations. Presently, the Social Services Unit manages forty-one (41) schemes island wide which consist of approximately Twelve Thousand (12,000) solutions.
The Community Development team is responsible for preparing the residents/occupants of communities/schemes for the divestment process.
The Housing team is responsible for monitoring the collection of proceeds for purchasers who have entered a legally binding arrangement with the Minister of Housing, by way of sale or lease.
The Compliance and Investigations team is responsible for the monitoring and reduction of the arrears. This team also conducts investigations into the housing condition of persons who request housing assistance directly from the Ministry or requests are submitted on their behalf.
Brownfield Areas
- If you are an occupant of land owned by the Minister of Housing, you may write directly to the Permanent Secretary requesting to purchase the area of land you occupy.
- If multiple persons occupy land owned by the Minister of Housing the group may write directly to the Permanent Secretary requesting to be regularized on that property.
- If you are an occupant of land owned by the Minister of Housing and you wish to know the status of the regularization process you may write directly to the Permanent Secretary, whose office will route the request to the appropriate Branch or Unit that may have conduct of same.
Contact information to include contact number and address should be placed in letters being sent to the Ministry. Letters can be sent via post, dropped off directly at the Ministry’s Mail Room, or emailed to the Ministry at info@megjc.gov.jm.
Direct requests to purchase are vetted and checked internally by several other units or agencies external to the Social Services Unit and may require a site visit. However, if the request is deemed genuine and the Ministry can divest, then the applicant will be required to submit documentation in keeping with an internal file checklist. The Community Development Officer will request the required information at the appropriate time.
Occupants who reside on property subject to regularization are engaged through Community Meetings which includes the Member of Parliament for the specific constituency and other members of the political directorate. All information required by the Ministry will be requested from the Community Development Officer and steps taken to refer the matter to the Land Divestment Committee for recommendation of a sale or lease.
Greenfield Areas
- Once a property/properties have been advertised in print media (local newspaper, Ministry’s website, and all Regional Offices). Interested persons can only apply during the application intake period. The intake and close out period will be stated on the advertisement (e.g. June 1, 2000 – June 15, 2000).
Applicants are encouraged to complete all areas on the application form and provide the requested documents within the specified time. Application forms should only be completed during the intake period of the advertisement and will only be available during that specific period. Same can accessed from the Ministry’s website, Regional Office and Head Office. Once applications are vetted and scored, steps are taken to refer the matter to the Land Divestment Committee for recommendation of a sale or lease.
- Persons who request housing assistance may write directly or their Member of Parliament or any member or nominee of a civil society group, Church or other persons from the political directorate may write on their behalf to the Minister of Housing, who is the Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Growth and Job Creation.
- Once the request is received by the Social Services Unit it is acknowledged and contained in the acknowledgement letter the Ministry will request that applicable documents be made available.
- All requests are investigated by a Compliance and Investigations Officer to whom the copies of required documents are given. Photographs of the documents may be taken at the time of the site visit if certified copies are not available. Photographs of the housing unit is a requirement of the investigative process.
- Applications are vetted by the Unit based on documentation provided by the applicant and a report is completed by the respective officer before submission to the Housing Assistance Review Committee. That Committee reviews the findings and prepares a recommendation to the Minister for approval.
- Once successful the applicant will receive an award letter which indicates the value of the building grant. The award letter is valid for a period of six months i.e. from the date of the letter (e.g. June 2, 2000, to December 1, 2000).
- Successful applicants are required to bring their award letter, payment checklist and client information form to a registered Hardware for the provision of a quotation or tax invoice where applicable.
- Once the hardware has provided either document same is to be referred to the Ministry for processing.
- If a quotation is provided a purchase order is generated by the Accounts unit and same is referred to the applicant for submission to the Hardware, after which a tax invoice is to be generated and returned with a stamped copy of the purchase order.
- Once the tax invoice has been checked by the Accounts Unit funds will be transferred to the bank account of the Hardware electronically.
- After payment is made the applicant and the Hardware is provided with a payment advisory and a Withholding Tax Certificate.
- If the applicant is unsuccessful with the request for housing assistance the Ministry will write to the applicant to indicate same.
Contact information to include contact number and address should be placed in letters being sent to the Ministry. Letters can be sent via post or dropped off directly at the Ministry’s Mail Room or emailed to the Ministry at info@megjc.gov.jm.
- Fifty-nine (59) matters have been recommended by the Land Divestment Committee for sale.
- One Hundred and Nine (109) accounts have been settled. The collection of Certificates of Title is ongoing.
- Approximately six hundred (600) requests which are inclusive of constituency requests have been referred to the Housing Assistance Review Committee.
- Ten (10) constituencies sought assistance for the provision of building grants. A total of four hundred and sixteen (416) persons were listed, the total approximate allocation was Sixty-Nine Million Dollars ($69,000,000).
- Eighty-nine (89) persons were recommended for building grants, the total approximate allocation was Fifty-Nine Million Dollars ($59,000,000).
- Engaged occupants in at least four (4) schemes to initiate the regularization/ divestment process. The parishes are as follows: St. Andrew, St. James, Westmoreland and St. Mary.