Prime Minister Gaston Browne has provided an upbeat update on the long-awaited Booby Alley housing redevelopment project, announcing that the first residents could begin moving into their new homes as early as September, with a potential slight delay to October to complete public landscaping and final site improvements. Speaking during his regular weekly address to the public on local radio, Browne shared that construction progress on the development has exceeded expectations, and the government is prioritizing creating a finished, welcoming community before any properties are allocated to incoming residents.
Under the project’s allocation framework, priority placement will be extended to displaced former residents of the original Booby Alley neighborhood, who will be the first to receive replacement homes in the new development. Following the placement of returning residents, remaining units will be made available to other eligible households through two primary access routes: a small share will be offered via rent-to-own agreements, while the majority of residents will access the properties through government-backed, affordable mortgage programs.
Browne confirmed that government officials are currently evaluating two potential institutions to administer the new social housing mortgages: the country’s National Housing authority, and the Antigua and Barbuda Development Bank. Should the Development Bank take on the portfolio, Browne noted that the arrangement would deliver an added policy benefit, helping to shore up the bank’s overall capital position to support future development projects across the twin-island nation.
Unlike many conventional mortgage products, these social housing loans will be structured to be broadly accessible for low- and middle-income households, carrying extremely low interest rates and extended repayment terms ranging from 20 to 25 years. The exact term will be adjusted to match each borrower’s individual ability to repay, ensuring the program remains inclusive for residents across a range of income brackets.
Browne explained the government’s deliberate choice to prioritize mortgage access over pure public rental housing, noting that granting full ownership from the point of move-in fosters a sense of personal investment in the community. “From day one, you have title. It’s yours,” he said, emphasizing that the pride of ownership encourages residents to maintain their properties and invest in the long-term vitality of the neighborhood.
The Booby Alley housing development is a core component of a broader national redevelopment strategy for Antigua and Barbuda, with full grant support from the government of China. Browne confirmed that the total value of Chinese grant assistance for the overall initiative amounts to a minimum of $40 million U.S. dollars, making the affordable housing project one of the largest supported infrastructure developments in the country in recent years.