Fiji’s housing crisis is real and pervasive: with about 200 squatter settlements and more than 387,000 people earning less than $7,000 per year.  Approximately 9,000 low and moderate income households need decent, safe, affordable housing immediately.
Access to education, health, clean, safe and pleasant home environment are building blocks of a sound society, the stability of the family unit, and the raising of children Finding a way to deal with the increasing problems of poverty was a key issue for the twenty eight members of the Working Group on Poverty under the National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF).

Some immediate steps are required to resolve the squatter problem.  Most squatters are living on the “vakavanua” land given to them some 30 or 50 years ago. Opportunity should be given to landowners to develop their land into suitable housing lots. Lack of capital has been identified as a major drawback for both the landowner, and of course, the squatters.   To acquire quick returns on their property, some landowners resorted to issuing “vakavanua” or “friendly settlement arrangements.”

A large number of houses are required to be built in the coming years to reduce the increasing growth of squatter areas and to increase the quality of living for the poor. It was suggested by the NCBBF Working Group that while the Government does not necessarily have to build a house for everyone, it must try to make land available for housing while at the same time ensuring that minimum housing standards are maintained.

Facilitating low-income families to acquire their own homes develops stability in communities by encouraging a sense of ownership. Encouraging people in rental accommodation to save to buy their own homes, however, has never been successful as most Public Rental Board (PRB) and tenants of Housing Assistance and Relief Trust (HART) continue to occupy their flats and very few have moved to upper housing categories.

The availability of sufficient land is crucial for sustainable housing development. Large parcels of native land exist around Lami, north of Kings Road and in the Nasinu area, such as Veikoba and Koronivia (Sauniwaqa).  The future development of these lands depends on the willingness of land owners to convert available land to leasehold to permit residential development. It also depends on the landowners being rewarded in a fair and reasonable manner.
The Working Group and the NCBBF agreed that the government should formulate a clear housing strategy that deals with questions of making finance available for intending home builders; providing  the land and developing fair compensation for land owners.

Monday, September 08, 2008