ST. JOHN'S, Antigua and Barbuda — The government plans to transition its Home Assistance Programme for the Indigent (HAPI) from primarily wooden structures to more durable concrete homes, once a new government-operated block manufacturing plant becomes operational.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the shift during an appearance on the Browne and Browne programme on Pointe FM, signalling a significant upgrade to the long-running social housing initiative that supports the country's most vulnerable residents.
The move to concrete construction is expected to provide stronger, longer-lasting homes for beneficiaries of the programme, which has historically relied on wooden builds. The government-run block plant, once online, would supply the materials needed to support the expanded concrete construction effort.
The HAPI programme has been a key component of the government's social welfare framework, providing housing assistance to indigent citizens across Antigua and Barbuda. The planned upgrade reflects a broader push to improve the quality and resilience of homes built under the initiative.
