Mitchell: Subletting HDC homes unlawful

Mitchell said the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has investigated cases of tenants renting their homes.

“We have seen and investigated instances where persons for example would have been renting homes from the HDC for $100 a month and then subletting it for $3,000.

We are looking into all those instances and as they arise, we are cracking down on them,” Mitchell assured. He was speaking to reporters at a health fair hosted in his San Fernando constituency at Pleasantville Community Centre.

Mitchell said the HDC was conducting a verification exercise of its tenants. “Subletting is a practice that is unlawful with respect to the lease agreement. These very affordable units provided by government are for persons who cannot do better for themselves and who are looking at affordable housing.” He also said squatters will be evicted from houses, including condemned ones. Last month, 25 families who occupied condemned houses in Harmony Hall, Gasparillo were evicted. “Yes these people took the risk of going into squatting, they were put out with their appliances and sometimes we see children, but there is always another side to the story. What about those persons who are on the application list and have been applying for houses?” He said HDC was also reviewing its allocation policy as there were challenges with the random selection process. “We are looking to move towards creating a fair system, a first in first out type of system.” Unfinished developments, some dating back to 2006, the minister said, have been reviewed and a construction programme is underway