The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MHUD) is one of the primary agencies of Government charged with the mandate to contribute to the socio-economic wellbeing of the people of Dominica by providing affordable housing to citizens, while facilitating urban development and fostering responsible land use.
With a vision to see the Ministry become an efficient government agency that “facilitates development of the built environment,” it is vital that our housing stock are built to recommended standards and land resources are allocated for optimal use thereby allowing individuals and households to be safe and secure and to experience minimal loss during or after any catastrophic event in Dominica. The Ministry has the specific responsibility to ensure that it provides access to suitable, safe, and adequate land for the development of built environment in such manner to reduce or mitigate potential negative impacts of climate-induced hazards to life and property in Dominica.
The work programme of the Ministry, which hinges on the National Resilience Development Strategy (NRDS) – consistent with sustainable development goals enshrined in Agenda 2030 – provides a well outlined strategy for building back better and a path for taking Dominica towards being the first climate resilient nation. The Ministry’s plans and programmes each 5-year strategic period will embrace and adopt the climate resilience vision captured in Dominica's Climate Resilience and Recovery Plan (CRRP). This vision includes a central role of the housing sector in building a robust economy, strong communities, and well-planned and durable infrastructure along with national policy goals of poverty alleviation economic growth, and employment.
Our strategy and services therefore demarcates the Ministry’s contribution to the national milieu necessary for attaining the desired resilience cognizant that the provision of safe and suitable housing solutions with basic amenities remains critical for facilitating recovery from climate-induced disasters, economic shocks and the impact of global health pandemics.
Considering the challenges faced over the past fiscal years the Ministry manages financial resources provided by Parliament for the implementation of the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) on Housing, Land Settlement and Development and Urban Development to response to increasing housing demands fueled by economic diversification and the extraordinary housing needs brought about by Tropical Storm Erika (2015) and Hurricane Maria (2017). Significant resources use for housing recovery will dominate the Ministry's work programme as Government provide leadership in the national recovery effort while pursuing its resilience building vision.
The Ministry facilitates several activities each fiscal period providing direct support to Government in creating a modern, diverse, and sustainable economy that has the capacity to meet the demands of a highly competitive global environment through investments that generate consistent economic growth and prosperity while creating jobs and business opportunities to all strata of Dominica's society.
The overall mandate of the Ministry, who, through a collaborative effort among stakeholders, will strive for the efficient and effective implementation of its plans, programmes, and projects under it's portfolio, is centered on the pursuit specific outputs on housing, urbanization, and land use, specifically through
- urban development initiatives for creating an “inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable city,”
- the increase in stock of resilient housing through construction of five thousand (5,000) modern sustainable affordable resilient homes, and
- sustainable use and management of land resources through efficient allocation of safe and suitable lands for recreational, industrial, residential, institutional, agricultural, tourism and infrastructural development associated with priority capital investment projects.
Government's achievement in the area of housing is unprecedented. Its deliberate policy to promote and provide improved access to safe, resilient, modern, affordable housing for all Dominicans has emerged as a major contributor to enhanced social and economic welfare. In recognition that housing is a basic human need and that the health and wellbeing of both the individual and the community are directly linked to adequate food and shelter, the Ministry will facilitate Government's commitment and determination to have a well-housed population.
With emphasis place on responsible land stewardship, under its portfolio for state lands administration and acquisition of private lands, the Ministry provides adequate suitable lands for public purposes and enforces measures to curb irresponsible and uncontrolled land occupation such as squatting that can threaten peaceful cohabitation or increase vulnerabilities.
In addition to supporting the national housing programme, through acquisitions of private properties and allocation of state lands , the Ministry facilitates development in key sectors of the economy as agriculture, tourism, road, bridges and ports infrastructure, recreation/sports, water supply, geothermal energy development, and social services, particularly health and wellness and education.
The Ministry work invariably improve the environment for living and doing business in Dominica and the quality of life of all Dominicans.
