The GSLP-Liberal Alliance will continue to be committed to a policy of making it possible for everyone to purchase a decent home in Gibraltar at affordable prices or provide Government rental accommodation for those who cannot afford to do so.

If elected into Government, the GSLP-Liberal Alliance is committed to continuing the refurbishment of the “forgotten” estates, and build a further 1,700 affordable homes as announced earlier this year.

The Alliance highlighted their achievements over the past four years and noted their future commitments on their housing policy.

GSLP candidate Samantha Sacramento, who held the ministerial portfolio for housing while in Government, said: “It is an absolute honour to be part of a government that had delivered so much to so many people on the housing front in such a short period of time.

“Whether it is in providing opportunities to purchase flats on the 50/50 scheme, acquire a rental home so much faster than before because we have achieved a faster turnaround in repairs and refurbishment which translates into quicker allocations, to improving the quality of life of those who already live in Government owned properties in the forgotten estates which we have refurbished and will maintain, to the elderly people whose quality of life will be greatly improved once they move in to the purpose built flats for them, and which will also result in the flats that they occupied be returned to the housing stock.

“It is remarkable that we have achieved to eradicate the waiting lists that existed when we took office in all categories except the 1RKB.

“We have proved to be a government that delivers to people where it matters.

“I would like at this stage to remember my good friend Charles Bruzon who so loved to be Minister for Housing and help people and who laid the foundations for these great achievements.”

The GSLP-Liberal Alliance policy on housing is as follows:

RIGHT TO A HOME

"We continue to be committed to a policy of making it possible for all of our people to have a decent home in Gibraltar at affordable prices and for rental for those who cannot afford to do so.  This has been at the core of GSLP/Liberal policy throughout our time in Government and in Opposition.  We will not be shifted from this deep commitment.  Neither do we believe that “means testing” will produce a fair system to determine eligibility.  In most instances, means testing can produce unfair results where those who are well off enough to afford to hide their incomes can pretend to qualify ahead of the hardworking breadwinner of a family whose income is declared directly by the employer.  We will  therefore continue to determine eligibility to housing (both in terms of the right to buy affordable homes and for government rentals) by applying the eligibility rules which we will modernise and update in order to prevent unfairness and abuse."

ELIMINATING WAITING LIST

"Everyone on the housing waiting list and on the pre-list on the 9th December has been housed or has received an allocation for a home on all lists bar one.  This means that the following housing lists have been eliminated in respect of such individuals:

• 6RKB
• 5RKB
• 4RKB
• 3RKB
• 2RKB

The only list on which we still have a number of people who were on the waiting list on the 9^th December 2011 is the 1RKB list."

ELIMINATING THE 1RKB LIST

"On that list there are a large number of young people who wish to buy in the next round of affordable housing to be made available.  In addition there are a number of pensioners who will be able to move into the new homes for the elderly being developed or as such homes become vacant.  These types of applicants prefer to stay on the list and wait for the new homes that are about to come on stream.  We will continue to build such homes and a half way house for man that is already at the advanced planning stage.  This will greatly reduce the number of applicants on this list."

WAITING REDUCED TO 3 YEAR MAX

"We now expect that all persons on the waiting list for 6RKB to 2RKB will be housed within 3 years as we undertook to do in our last manifesto."

LIST FOR RETURNING GIBRALTARIANS

"Eligible Gibraltarians who have moved to Spain because they were unable to buy property in Gibraltar will be eligible to buy in the next round of affordable housing.  Those who previously owned property will  need to pass the financial assessment test."

50/50 SALE OF GOVERNMENT FLATS

"We have honoured the offer made to any sitting tenants who wished to purchase either pre-war or post-war property.  In addition we have introduced the 50/50 scheme for such properties."

REFURBISHMENT AND BEAUTIFICATION

"We have begun a brilliant programme of refurbishment of Government estates that had been completely forgotten by the previous Government and which had seen no meaningful investment in the 16 years of GSD administration. We will complete that exiting programme of  re-clading buildings in Glacis, Laguna and Moorish Castle Estates (as well as adding lifts) and the refurbishment, beautification and lift installation on all remaining Government estates. We will also continue the “estate-by-estate” maintenance programme that we have established so that all Government estates are refurbished and maintained adequately and not allowed to deteriorate as they have done. We have also re-provided the childrens’ park at Moorish Castle Estate and have helped the management companies of affordable estates to deal with common areas and beautification in order to improve the environment in these areas and the value of homes."

CO-OWNERSHIP HOMES

"We have built approximately 850 homes for co-ownership already.  In respect of these we have sold to people based on eligibility and not based on how much of a percentage they purchase. The GSD policy had been to give priority to those who could pay more, defeating the principle of making home ownership accessible to those who otherwise would not be able to buy. We will continue to prioritise people on the basis of their eligibility and need and not based on their ability to buy a larger share in the new affordable homes we will deliver in the next four years if we are returned to Government.  In this time we we deliver at least 1,700 more affordable homes at Hassans Centenary Terraces and Bob Peliza Mews.  We anticipate other exciting developments may also become available."

EXISTING ESTATES

"We have worked hard and diligently with the management companies of the existing co-ownership estates, as well as Vineyards and Victoria Residency to assist with necessary maintenance and weather proofing of buildings and common areas. We will continue to work with the management companies in question in the future to deal with these recurring problems that arise from development/building defects. At Vineyards we have also provided a playground for children.  At Bympton, we will work with the management company to fund and finalise the replacement of the bridges on that estate."

HOME OWNERSHIP ESTATE REPAIRS

"At the OEM Estates we have replaced all front doors at Cumberland Terraces and dealt with all the damp and other problems which have arisen in these home ownership estates (Bayview, Nelson’s View and Cumberland Terraces).  The bill for defect repairs at this estate is in the region of £7m (not all paid after we were elected).  At Waterport Terraces we have defended legal action and finalised work on defects so that tenants did not end up having to foot the bill for problems with the construction.  The bill for defect repairs at Waterport Terraces is in the region of £9m (not all paid after we were elected)."

MORTGAGE FACILITIES

"The commencement of operations of the Gibraltar International Bank has meant that there are mortgage facilities available for all those who wish and can afford to purchase affordable homes."

EX-MOD PROPERTIES

"We have made good the problems being faced by purchasers of ex-MOD properties that suffer from the presence of asbestos and defects in the fabric of the buildings (which cause water ingress) sold to them by the GSD Government. We will ensure that the MOD properties being handed over to the Gibraltar Government will be partly put out to tender in a fair and equitable manner through a tender process that will be entirely transparent."

FORENSIC AUDIT

"We laid in Parliament the results of a forensic audit of the OEM Haymills payments in respect of the south district housing developments.  This disclosed that loans totaling £4m had been made to OEM by GRP with the approval of the former Chief Minister.  This money was lost in the liquidation of OEM.  This is a loss to the taxpayer of £4m as a result of a loan which was granted by the GSD Government through a company that did not have a money lending licence.  It is in addition to the £7m lost in repairing defects in the OEM estates.  Moreover, Barclays Bank Plc is claiming an additional £7m from the Government in respect of those estates.  That means that the taxpayer could loose up to £18m on that GSD fiasco.  At the time of writing, there has been no explanation or apology from the GSD leadership in respect of this."

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