Dominica hands over 16 resilient homes to families in Woodford Hill

Dominica: Sixteen families in Woodford Hill have received the keys to their newly constructed three-bedroom homes through an expansion of the Government of Dominica’s initiative to build climate-resistant homes.

The handing over took place during a Welcome Home Ceremony on September 14. The initiative seeks to create safer and more stable homes for families facing difficult living conditions.

This project covers about 1.6 acres of land and includes 16 individual housing units. Eight are standalone houses, while the remaining units are arranged across two duplex buildings.

According to the project manager, Carl Murad, each building is 1,100 square feet of space and comprises three bedrooms, a living room and dining room, an open kitchen, a master bedroom with walk-in closet and a separate toilet, two additional bedrooms, a shared toilet, and a washing area.

“All structures have been designed to be resilient to earthquakes and hurricanes, including the windows,” Murad said during the ceremony.

The houses have been built using reinforced concrete structures with underground utilities. Each house has its own septic tank and soakaway facility, while the drainage system is connected to a pipe.

During the ceremony, officials highlighted households headed by single mothers, including one mother of seven and another mother of three. One of the beneficiaries said that the handing-over of the houses was not just about receiving a house.

“It is receiving peace after uncertainty, shelter after struggle, and the precious gift of knowing that my children finally have a safe place to call their own. As a single parent raising three boys, there have been many days when I carried worries quietly and wondered how I would give them the security they deserve,” said one of the mothers.

Speaking at the Welcome Home Ceremony, Housing Minister Melissa Poponne-Skerrit stated that the homes should be seen as part of the overall development of Woodford Hill and Wesley.

“I see Woodford Hill and Wesley becoming one of Dominica's newest urban centres,” she said. The minister also urged the residents to prepare for increasing business opportunities and to make better use of land and locally available skills.

Acting Prime Minister Roland Roy said that this development was a part of the overall development that was taking place in the northeast. He told the residents, “You are not on the outskirts of this development. You are at the centre of it.”

The latest housing handover brought the total distribution count to 27 homes across two communities in September. 16 of these houses were delivered through the Woodford Hill project, while 11 more were given to other families in Canefield East earlier this month.

The Woodford Hill handover forms part of the government’s broader housing programme involving new homes and apartment units in several communities across Dominica. As part of the programme, 215 housing units were being prepared for distribution across nine communities, including Woodford Hill, Wesley, Canefield East, Trafalgar, Vieille Case, Paix Bouche, Pointe Michel, Grand Bay, and Penville.