The Progressive Labour Party expanded on details of its housing programme yesterday which promises 550 homes in the next five years.

Housing Minister David Burch said Government's plan to loan interest-free downpayments to help 500 Bermudian families buy homes for the first time had sparked a lot of interest.

He said Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) tenants would get first option and then others would get a chance to apply.

And Government's plan to gear BHC rents to a quarter of a family's income had already been started in projects at Anchorage Villas in St. George's and Butterfield Lane in Sandys.

Minister Burch said: "It is our desire to enshrine the concept in legislation."

The concept will be expanded to the Perimeter Lane project in Pembroke when that comes on line.

He said of BHC's 600 renting families, 320 would be eligible because they were not in arrears and would be switched to rents based on 25 percent of their income when their leases were renewed.

Work continues on the Loughlands apartments in Paget and 21 families lined up for the first phase will be meeting next week about forming a condo association to manage the complex.

Minister Burch said many BHC clients had issues other than housing so a programme known as Breaking the Cycle had been launched, starting with rooming houses, where clients will attend a mandatory six-week programme to help them get out of transitional living into more independence.

The Minister said it was linked to the cross Ministry initiative team which was helping 20 families with employment, training and money management.

The Opposition has pledged to build 500 affordable homes for rent over the next five years if elected. But Minister Burch said the PLP government want to build 550 homes. The PLP programme includes a mixture of homes for rent and purchase as well as accommodation for seniors.

"There should be only 50 left for them to do by the time I am finished."

The PLP project list is:

• Anchorage Villas 16

• Butterfield Lane 12

• Loughlands 96

• Perimeter Lane 38

• Ireland Island 100

• Westcott Lane 54

• HarbourView Village 110

• Ewing Street 24

• Rockaway Seniors 100

And PLP chairman David Burt said: "Our efforts to provide affordable housing to all have benefited over 800 Bermudians and over 300 Bermudian families to date.

"The PLP has introduce geared to income for all BHC tenants allowing individuals living in government-owned housing to have their rent set at no more than 25 percent of their income and an additional ten percent in mandatory savings towards future home ownership."