Antigua and Barbuda will expand its national housing programme in 2026, with hundreds of new homes slated for construction across multiple communities—including the long-awaited Booby Alley redevelopment—Governor General Sir Rodney Williams announced Thursday during the Throne Speech.
Sir Rodney said the government and private contractors “have built more than 1,000 units of housing since 2014 and still the demand for new homes grows,” noting that several major developments are now moving into their next phase.
The Booby Alley Project remains the flagship initiative, with the Governor General confirming that “200 condominium-style units will become available to former residents and others” once construction is completed.
Additional condo-style housing will also be introduced outside the capital. “In Barbuda and Bolans, 100 of these condos will be constructed, 50 in each venue for the villages to house larger populations of homeowners,” Sir Rodney said, crediting the support of the People’s Republic of China.
He emphasized that affordability and resilience remain central to the national housing strategy. The National Housing and Urban Renewal Corporation “will continue to provide subsidized housing at cost, with considerable equity accruing to the homeowners,” while the Central Housing and Planning Authority will “continue to build affordable housing that will set a new standard of resiliency to withstand Category 5 hurricanes.”
Sir Rodney stressed that support will extend beyond working households to include those most at risk. He said the government acts “with equal vigor to ensure that the poor and the elderly are not left behind,” highlighting food-voucher assistance, electricity support for seniors, minimum Social Security payments of $500 for retirees “even those who did not contribute,” and the HAPI programme, which rebuilds homes for people who have lost everything in fires or who live in unsafe conditions.
The Governor General also praised the minister responsible for housing, describing him as someone who “embodies the kindest, most gentle spirit of this administration.”
The Throne Speech framed the expanded housing agenda as essential to strengthening household security, widening homeownership opportunities for young families and single parents, and improving living conditions for the indigent as the country enters the next phase of national development.
