Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent will next week unveil an affordable housing development of more than 100 homes for sale to Bermudians.

He hopes ground can be broken at the end of the year but would not reveal the cost, location or likely completion date until a later press conference.

But The Royal Gazette understands that the 100 affordable homes will be built in conjunction with a further 100 homes that will be sold at market prices in order to make the project viable.It is also understood that the developers, who have not been identified, plan to use non-traditional building materials in order to reduce construction costs.

Mr. DeVent told The Royal Gazette: “It will be 100-plus family houses of one, two, three and four bedrooms.

“It's a substantial development. The most exciting thing is that it's a joint effort between private sector business and Government which is along the lines I have been trying to preach.

“Government alone will not solve the problem and governments historically aren't the best builders in the world.

“It will be housing for Bermudians. It's important because people need to think about home ownership.

“Renting is not what we are aiming for. We are hoping to make as many people home owners as possible.”

Government is also looking at replacing the dilapidated Salvation Army homeless facility with a new shelter of more than 100 places.

But Mr. DeVent says plans have now changed from solely emergency temporary housing to a graded approach.

“Some of those people have been there for years and years without actually making any steps or being given assistance to moving out of that position.

“This will be a more managed approach where you come in, you would have to abide by the rules and meet certain criteria to move on with a view to actually being able to be in independent units.”

He said it wasn't certain the independent units would be on the Parsons Road site where the shelter is now. Nor is there a timetable for work.

“We are in discussions to build another rooming house to replace the Canadian Hotel. We are in discussions about actually purchasing the property. We will have to be somewhat careful.

“This is a developers' market and everybody is trying to grab what little land is left. I have only been in this job for four months. I will take a slow, deliberate planned approach. Not necessarily a plan in a book.

“There are some projects on the way in various stages of development.”

He said he was encouraged that landlords were now calling offering up rentals to be handled by Government.

Currently there are 393 people on Bermuda Housing Corporation's waiting list and 61 on the emergency waiting list.

Mr. DeVent said social challenges such as very high divorce rate and children wanting to leave the nest early further put pressure on housing demand.