(i) Provision of housing units The Ministry implements housing projects targeting families earning an income of up to Rs 30,000 through the NHDC Ltd, its implementing agency. The type of housing unit has been reviewed to accommodate at least 2 bedrooms, 1 kitchen, 1 living room, 1 toilet and 1 bathroom. Social and recreational amenities are provided within the housing estates, where required, so as to better integrate the residents within these housing estates. The housing units are sold to beneficiaries by the NHDC Ltd, with subsidy from the Government as follows:-
Household Income | Payment by Beneficiaries | Government Subsidy | < Rs 10,000 | 1/3 | 2/3 | Rs 10,001 – Rs 15,000 | 40% | 60% | Rs 15,001 – Rs 20,000 | 70% | 30% | Rs 20,001 – Rs 25,000 | 75% | 25% | Rs 25,001 – Rs 30,000 | 85% | 15% |
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for the applicants to be allocated a housing unit are as follows:-
- not be owner of a house ( including NHDC or CHA house );
- not own a residential plot of land;
- not hold a residential plot of State Land by lease;
- not have been granted any Government sponsored loan by MHC Ltd;
- not have benefited from any Government grant for the casting of a roof slab and for purchase of building materials; and
- not have received any financial assistance from Government or any form of
assistance for housing purposes. The beneficiaries can settle the cost of the houses either by cash or through Government sponsored loans from financial institution such as the Mauritius Housing Company (MHC) or from other lending institutions. Also, all beneficiaries are granted a long term residential lease expiring on the 30 June 2060 on the plot of land. Annual rentals for leases regarding sites built up with a housing unit are at a nominal rate based on the beneficiaries’ income, as detailed below: Household Income | Annual Rental | Remarks | <Rs 7,500 | Re 1 | 50% increase for each subsequent period of 10 years. | Rs 7501 - Rs 10,000 | Rs 1000 | 50% increase for each subsequent period of 10 years. | Rs 10,001 - Rs 15,000 | Rs 2000 | 50% increase for each subsequent period of 10 years. | Rs 15,001 - Rs 25,000 | Rs 3000 | 50% increase for each subsequent period of 10 years.
| Rs 25,001 - Rs 30,000
| Rs 6000
| 50% increase for each subsequent period of 10 years.
|
Application is made in prescribed form at the NHDC Ltd.
Projects implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Land Use Planning through the NHDC Ltd: a) Housing Units completed since 2015
| Site | No. of Housing Units | | Henrietta (MHL) | 70 | | Lallmatie | 11 | | Dagotiere | 10 | | Camp de Masque | 53 | | Mare D'Albert | 55 | | Pointe aux Sables | 24 | | D'Epinay | 21 | | Notre Dame | 5 | | Grand Bel Air | 6 | | Mare Tabac | 6 | | Rose Belle | 1 | | Souillac B | 7 | | Riv. des Anguilles | 2 | | Camp Ithier | 149 | | Chebel | 8 | | Glen Park | 7 | | Henrietta | 13 | | Cottage | 56 | | Chebel | 6 | | Plaine Magnien | 20 | | Camp Diable | 16 | | New Grove | 3 | | Plaine Magnien | 6 | | Grand Bois | 2 | | Souillac A | 3 | | Souillac B | 6 | | Riv. des Anguilles | 3 | | Chebel | 68 | | Quatre-Cocos | 152 | | Beau Bois | 46 | | Glen Park | 42 | | Chebel | 6 | | Souillac | 47 | | Melrose | 71 | | Petit Bel Air | 73 | | Goodlands (Madame Azor 1) | 54 | | Goodlands (Madame Azor 2) | 54 | | Souillac | 50 | | Cottage | 80 | | Piton | 86 | | Mon Gout | 72 | | Pte aux Piments | 61 | | Pte aux Sables (NEF) | 65 | | Mon Gout | 26 | | Sebastopol | 91 | | Henrietta | 164 | | Souillac | 18 | | Notre Dame | 32 | | St Hubert | 52 | | 16eme Mille | 40 | | Camp Levieux | 60 | | Baie du Tombeau - A | 12 | | Calebasses | 43 | | Camp de Masque | 86 | | Chebel - A | 92 | | Mt Longue | 66 | | Total | 2378 |
b) Ongoing projects
| Site Location | Estimated No. of Housing Units | | Bassin | 102 | | St Julien | 206 | | Petite Julie | 179 | | Chebel | 99 | | Mare D'Albert | 203 | | Gros Cailloux | 126 | | Baie du Tombeau | 150 | | Dagotiere | 656 | | Mare Tabac | 300 | | Wooton | 282 | | Petit Bel Air | 175 | | Bassin | 225 | | Cascavelle | 125 | | Mon Gout | 525 | | Argy | 224 | | Plein Bois | 143 | | La Valette | 160 | | Total | 3880 |
Note: 50 Housing Units are being constructed at Agalega.
c) Sites identified for Housing Projects | Site Location | Estimated No. of Housing Units | | Highlands | 118 | | La Caverne | 66 | | Dubreuil | 363 | | Palma | 494 | | La Tour Koenig | 80 | | Piton | 311 | | La Clemence | 252 | | Bel Air | 500 | | Ernest Florent | 245 | | Surinam | 300 | | Olivia | 675 | | Mare D'Albert | 258 | | St Hilaire | 491 | | Grand Bel Air | 770 | | Tyack | 570 | | Souillac | 507 | | Total | 6000 |
Note: The above sites may be subject to change if not found suitable for housing development after assessments and consultations with authorities concerned.
(ii) Sale of State Land to owners of Ex-CHA houses There are 19442 owners of ex-CHA houses across the island. In order to empower these families to take full responsibility of their assets, Government introduced the "Right to Buy" policy in 2007 to enable the sale of State Land on which stood the CHA houses, against payment of a nominal amount of Rs 2000 to Government. Application is made in prescribed form at the Housing Management Unit (HMU) of the Ministry of Housing and Lands. (iii) Assistance to owners of ex-CHA housing unit who are facing difficulties in acquiring their plot of land In 2012, it was found that a number of vulnerable families, particularly lone mothers, could not benefit from this policy due to financial difficulties. Such vulnerable lessees of ex-CHA Housing Estates are assessed on a case to case basis and if found eligible, they are granted the land free of charge through a waiving of the purchase price of Rs 2000 and registration fees. Also, fees for the Notary and for the survey of the plot of land are met by Government. Application for financial assistance is done at the Housing Management Unit (HMU) of the Ministry of Housing and Lands. (iv)Rehabilitation of existing utilities infrastructures on NHDC housing estates Rehabilitation works in NHDC Housing Estates aim at upgrading the living conditions of some 12,000 families across the island. The rehabilitation works comprise mainly: sewerage network, water reticulation network, waterproofing works, Construction of new storm water network and Structural Remedial works. The following projects have been completed during the financial year 2018/19: Type of rehabilitation works | Sites | No. of Housing units | Waterproofing Works | Poste De Flacq | 290 | Camp Le Vieux | 300 | Dagotière | 192 | Baie Du Tombeau | 448 | Cap Malheureux | 128 | Sewer network | Riche Terre | 74 | Structural and Electrical remedial works to existing blocks of apartment | Camp Levieux | 992 |
The following projects have been earmarked and are currently being carried out for the financial year 2019-2020: Type of rehabilitation works | Sites | No. of
Housing Units | Rehabilitation of Existing Wastewater network and Ancillary Works | Rose Belle | 250 | Bambous | 506 | St Pierre | 72 | Highlands | 84 | Vieux Grand Port | 56 | Dagotiere | 155 | Nouvelle France | 92 | Notre Dame | 44 | Tyack | 68 | Riambel | 76 |
(v) Government grant for casting of roof slabs and purchase of building materials It is worth mentioning that in Mauritius almost 89% of the population is owner of a residential property, be it a housing unit or a residential plot of land. Hence, Government encourages self-help construction of housing units to low income families who already own a plot of land and are having difficulties to construct a concrete housing unit. These families are financially assisted through a grant scheme either for the casting of roof slabs to complete their construction or for the purchase of building materials to start their construction. As from July 2019, the income eligibility criteria for roof slab grant and purchase of building materials have been reviewed as follows: Existing Housing Schemes
| Household Income Eligibility
| Amount
| Remarks
| Roof Slab Grant/ Purchase of Building Materials
| ≤ Rs10,000
| Maximum one-off cash grant of Rs 100, 000
| (i) Households who own a plot of land but cannot afford to complete construction of their house which has reached up to the beam level. The grant is for the casting of roof slab for an area of up to 100 m².Allowable building plan area may reach up to 150 m².
(ii) Households who own a plot of land but cannot afford to start construction of a housing unit of up to 100 m². The grant is for purchase of building materials to start construction.
| > Rs 10,000 - ≤
Rs 15,000
| Maximum one- off cash grant of Rs 70,000
| > Rs 15,000 - ≤
Rs 20,000
| Maximum one- off cash grant of Rs 50,000
|
NOTE : In Budget 2019/20, Government has extended the Building Materials Grant Scheme and the Roof Slab Grant Scheme to occupiers of EDC houses containing asbestos panels who opt for their removal and for the construction of decent houses. Thus, promoting the removal of asbestos and encouraging self-help construction. Application is made in prescribed form at the NHDC Ltd. |
