Good morning!

As we enter the New Year, the Ministry of Housing and Municipalities continues working very hard to deliver the housing solutions our country needs.

I’ll be the first to admit, and anyone who knows me will tell you, I like to see progress and I like it yesterday ! 

But in housing, as in construction, doing it properly matters. Lasting solutions take time, careful planning, coordination, and execution.

Today’s update focuses on three key areas:
• Progress on the Draft Affordable Housing Strategy and its consultation timeline
• Emergency housing at Boaz Island
• Updates on major housing projects at Chelsea, Battery Road, and Middle Town

Current Housing Demand

Recent data from the Bermuda Housing Corporation gives us a clear picture of the growing pressure on some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

Between November and December 2025 alone, the BHC waitlist grew from 333 to 357 households. That increase was seen across every priority category.

Urgent cases still represent the largest share of applicants. However, the fastest growth is now among regular applicants — many of whom are working individuals and families who are finding it increasingly difficult to afford market rents.

As of November, nearly 60 percent of applicants were seeking studio or one-bedroom units. This reflects the pressures facing seniors on fixed incomes, individuals living alone, and smaller households.

It is important to remember that BHC data represents just one part of the broader housing picture. 

While it does not capture all challenges in the private rental market, it does reflect those most in need of assistance, making it a critical indicator of where pressures are most acute.

These realities reinforce the importance of expanding affordable housing options. 

Draft Affordable Housing Strategy (2025–2035)

These trends are precisely why the Government is taking a broader, more coordinated approach to housing.

Work on the Affordable Housing Strategy for 2025 to 2035 continues alongside our day-to-day delivery efforts. This Strategy is designed as a long-term, stabilizing framework to close Bermuda’s housing gap over the next decade.

It focuses on expanding and diversifying housing supply, rehabilitating derelict and underused properties, improving affordability and access, modernizing regulations and strengthening governance across the housing system.

The consultation process has reinforced a key point: housing is not the responsibility of one Ministry alone. Every Ministry has a role to play, and meaningful collaboration is essential to ensure a truly integrated, whole-of-government approach.

Initial consultations with Government Ministries have been completed, and we have now moved into consultations with technical departments. 

Copies of the draft have been provided to Cabinet, and we are working toward releasing a public consultation draft in February so the wider community can help shape the final Strategy.

To support this work, I have formed a technical advisory team including representatives from the Bermuda Housing Corporation and the Bermuda Land Management Corporation. This team is actively examining alternative construction methods, including precast concrete, modular, and prefabricated systems, with the aim of reducing construction costs, accelerating delivery timelines, and ensuring that local contractors remain fully involved in future housing projects.

Taken together, the Strategy provides a clear roadmap for how Government intends to deliver affordable and attainable housing over the next ten years, not through one single solution, but through a balanced mix of new construction, rehabilitation, private-sector participation, and regulatory reform.

Looking ahead to the 2026–27 financial year, more than 30 sites across the island have been identified for potential housing development. These sites are already owned by either the Bermuda Housing Corporation or the Bermuda Land Management Corporation.

Based on this work, five priority locations have been selected for the next phase of development:
• Albert and Victoria Row, Sandys
• A vacant site adjacent to Dr. Cann Park, Southampton
• 13 Ewing Street, City of Hamilton
• Tommy Fox Road, St. David’s
• Harbour View Village, St. David’s

Preliminary evaluations confirm these sites are well positioned in terms of land readiness, ownership, zoning, and supporting infrastructure. Each has been prioritized to deliver a mix of affordable unit types, with an emphasis on one- and two-bedroom homes, where demand is greatest.

Emergency Housing – Boaz Island

In parallel, the Bermuda Housing Corporation has procured nine modular housing units for installation on a vacant Residential One zoned site owned by the Bermuda Land Management Corporation.

Installation is scheduled within the next two months, and once deployed, these units will provide immediate relief for applicants in the most urgent categories while also serving as a live pilot to assess modular housing as a longer-term solution within Bermuda’s built environment. They will function as emergency transitional housing, with tenants moving into permanent homes as they become available.

The modular pilot forms an important part of the Government’s effort to deliver rapid, high-quality housing on available public land. 

The Ministry met with the Boaz Island community in December to hear residents’ concerns. In response, the proposed development has been modified to improve buffers and setbacks and to realign driveways. A planning application reflecting these changes will be submitted shortly, balancing community feedback with the critical housing needs of Bermudians.

Project Updates: Chelsea, Battery Road, and Middle Town

To address ongoing demand, the Ministry has focused on advancing projects that are already in progress with ongoing construction at several key sites:

• Harmony Terrace North, Paget – 16 studio units awaiting building permit approval
• Battery Road Phase 2, St. David’s – 12 units consisting of 6 studios, 2 one-bedroom, 4 two-bedroom. Estimated completion: August 2026
• Chelsea Apartments, St. George’s – 5 units consisting of 3 two-bedroom, 2 three-bedroom. Estimated completion: July 2026
• Middle Town, Pembroke – 4 two-bedroom units. Estimated completion: 31 March 2026

I am excited to see the progress being made on these projects. 

Collectively, these developments represent 37 new affordable housing units, with the majority expected to come online in the next few months. 

Conclusion

I want to sincerely thank the teams across the Ministry of Housing and Municipalities, the Bermuda Housing Corporation, the Bermuda Land Management Corporation, and the Bermuda Housing Trust for their continued hard work and commitment.

That is the focus of this Ministry, and that is the work we will continue, steadily, responsibly, and with urgency.