The multimillion-dollar Small Home Repair Program could start as early as this week, with more than 400 homes already identified for repair, according to Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Renward Wells.
The program, which was launched last week, targets inner-city homes in need of small-scale renovations.
"We have identified over 400 homes in Nassau, and about 200 to 250 of them that have already been scoped," he added.
Wells said the government has deployed surveyors to verify whether quotes that were submitted by various contractors are reasonable.
Most of the repairs are estimated to cost under $10,000 for each house. However, Wells noted that there are about 50 cases where renovations are estimated above the $10,000 ceiling. He said based on the set up of the program, anything over $10,000 is not considered to be small-scale.
Wells added that the Urban Renewal Chairs Cynthia 'Mother' Pratt and Algernon Allen will have to decide whether they will make an exception for those houses, or if the renovations needed will have to be scaled back.
The government has allocated $10 million to Urban Renewal for the program.
Wells, who has oversight of Urban Renewal, also responded to Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash who recently expressed concern over program.
Cash said while the FNM supports the program, it is concerned about how the money will be distributed.
Cash said another "critical gap" in the program is that it fails to recognize the significant needs of working families in non-urban communities, where the need for home repairs is prevalent.
He said many residents in areas like Carmichael, South Beach and Garden Hills among other areas are in desperate need of similar assistance.
"A key test will be the Christie administration's ability to identify needs in constituencies that their members do not represent," he said on Monday.
However, Wells said FNM MPs have been invited to identify people in their constituencies who are in need of help.
"It's utter nonsense," Wells said responding to Cash. "We have engaged all members of Parliament. This is an entire island wide program. We will help those who can not help themselves, no matter which constituency they live in."
He noted the Urban Renewal is also working with the Department of Social Services to identify those in need.
"We are collecting the data and meeting people's needs," he added.
Urban Renewal also launched its foundation, which seeks donations to carry out additional home repairs and other Urban Renewal projects.
At the launch of the Urban Renewal Foundation earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis assured that the Small Home Repair Program will be transparent.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian