Gov’t adopts container housing strategy for storm victims

Facing a possible housing crisis in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, the Government has announced a controversial, yet immediate, plan to utilise container homes to shelter displaced families in western Jamaica.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon at a press briefing at Jamaica House, revealing that the National Housing Trust (NHT) has shifted its policy to acquire 5,000 container units for families in the hardest-hit parishes.

This comes after preliminary assessments indicated that roughly 150,000 homes were destroyed or damaged when the Category 5 storm made landfall on October 28.

Holness stressed that the Government cannot be expected to rebuild most of these homes, noting that many Jamaicans have already begun repairs on their own. He emphasised that state agencies must not hinder those choosing to rebuild independently, while acknowledging that many others will rely entirely – or partially – on government assistance.

So far, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has completed over 16,000 assessments islandwide, though Holness noted that far more are needed.

In the meantime, the Government has reviewed pre-built, containerised modular units and determined that they are suitable for the current emergency.

“I’ve met with the NHT, and the NHT has provided us with a solution that they are presently working on. At a later stage, we will go into more details, but the plan is for, in the initial stage, the NHT to purchase 5,000 container homes,” he said.

Some of these homes will be sold, others used to create new housing schemes, and the rest distributed through the Government’s social housing programme.

“So, effectively, we have to do a rapid deployment of housing solutions and the easiest way to do this is to use the containerised solutions. They do take some time to arrive in Jamaica. There’s just certainly not the quantity to make an impact.

“We have met and discussed it. We have taken the policy decision that these can be used, and so the process of acquiring them through the procurement process, they have been given the approval to move ahead with that,” he said, adding that the units will not arrive in the island until late January.

He said Jamaicans hit hardest will be catered to first.

Container homes are constructed from repurposed steel shipping containers, which are promoted as flexible and sustainable living spaces. A home may be built from a single container or multiple units welded together.

However, critics have raised health and safety concerns, noting that used containers may have carried toxic chemicals or pesticides that can linger in the floorboards. The industrial paint used on the steel can also contain hazardous elements, such as lead or phosphorus. Proper cleaning and sealing are crucial, but some buyers remain concerned about potential long-term health risks.

Further, concerns have been raised about insulation and climate control because steel is a poor insulator, causing interiors to be extremely hot in the summer.

But Holness said the NHT has looked at the specifications of the units to be acquired.

“We have examined the structural integrity, the environmental health, the materials that are used, the space, heat, and insulation. We’ve looked at them in a comprehensive way ... . We will certainly make sure that the ones that we bring here are structurally sound and environmentally healthy as well for human use,” said Holness, adding that the Government will also provide rebuilding grants.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com