Land Titling Delays Hurricane Housing

Jamaica’s post-Hurricane Melissa housing recovery is facing a major obstacle as unresolved land ownership issues continue to delay the delivery of modular homes to displaced families, even as the Government accelerates foundation works and expands plans for safer, more resilient communities.

The issue was highlighted during a meeting of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ambassador Rocky Meade, acknowledged that verifying ownership or legal authority to build remains one of the biggest barriers to delivering the Government’s modular housing programme.

The Government has committed to providing 2,500 modular homes for families whose houses were destroyed or severely damaged by Hurricane Melissa. Meade confirmed that approximately 1,200 units have already arrived in Jamaica, while efforts continue to acquire the remaining 1,300.

Rather than simply delivering the homes, authorities are preparing foundations and installing utilities before the units are handed over. Meade explained that hurricane relief funds previously identified as unspent are now being used to finance these essential works.

Despite this progress, many beneficiaries cannot yet receive homes because their land ownership or legal right to build cannot be verified.

“It is a consideration that is part of what has delayed us,” Meade told the committee. “The Government can’t facilitate construction on property that we are not sure the recipient is authorised to benefit from.”

The comments highlight one of Jamaica’s long-standing challenges: incomplete land titling and informal land occupation. While these issues predate Hurricane Melissa, the disaster has exposed how uncertain land tenure can slow recovery efforts.

Committee Chairman Julian Robinson questioned how the programme would support families living in informal settlements who lack formal documentation proving ownership.

Meade stressed that these residents are not being excluded. Government-controlled lands managed through the National Land Agency (NLA) are being used to provide temporary housing where beneficiaries cannot immediately establish legal authority over the land they occupied.

“We’ve actually done some construction on land under the control of the NLA,” Meade explained. “If they can’t show that they own or have authority to construct on a piece of land, then there are Government-controlled lands that we are putting some of these solutions on so people can have shelter in the interim.”

The recovery programme is also being guided by a broader resilience strategy. Commander Alvin Gayle, Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), confirmed that modular homes will not be placed in flood-prone or otherwise vulnerable locations.

“There is a programme underway to look at no-build zones,” Gayle said. “We will not be putting modular units in locations that we think are particularly vulnerable. The idea is not to rebuild in spaces that have already experienced significant impact.”

While supporting the policy, Robinson cautioned that relocating communities would require careful consultation with residents and their elected representatives.

Meade said the Government’s longer-term vision extends beyond housing, with consideration being given to relocating public service centres—and where necessary, entire townships—to safer locations. The aim is for businesses and communities to grow around these new hubs rather than rebuilding in disaster-prone areas.

The Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, the National Housing Trust, ODPEM and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security are jointly coordinating construction, site preparation and beneficiary selection, prioritising the most vulnerable households.

Although officials did not provide a timeline for completed handovers, the discussions before the PAC highlighted that Jamaica’s recovery effort is focused not only on rebuilding homes, but on creating safer, more resilient communities while exposing how unresolved land titling remains a significant barrier to disaster recovery.

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