Cabinet Approves Land Exchange Programme to Expand Affordable Housing in Antigua and Barbuda

The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has approved a new initiative aimed at significantly increasing the supply of affordable housing across the country through the establishment of the CHAPA Land Exchange and Redevelopment Programme (LERP).

The proposal, presented by the Minister for Housing and Works during this week’s Cabinet meeting, outlines a strategic framework that will allow the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHAPA) to acquire privately owned lands through voluntary exchange arrangements and redevelop them into affordable homes and serviced residential lots.

Government officials say the programme is designed to tackle one of the most persistent barriers to housing development in Antigua and Barbuda — limited access to suitable and affordable land.

Under the initiative, landowners will have several options when participating in the programme. These include selling their land to CHAPA at fair, independently appraised values, exchanging land in return for construction credits toward a CHAPA-built home, and benefiting from tax incentives such as reductions or waivers on Land Transfer Tax. Participants may also receive priority access to affordable housing allocations and financing support.

The programme will also incorporate land swap arrangements and will reserve between 10 and 15 percent of developed lands for community infrastructure, including parks, green spaces, and designated vending areas.

Cabinet was informed that the initiative will be implemented in three phases.

The first phase, scheduled for the first year, will serve as a pilot programme and will involve the acquisition of approximately 25 parcels of land across selected constituencies to begin exchanges and housing development.

During Phase Two, spanning Years Two and Three, the programme will expand to additional constituencies based on participation levels and infrastructure readiness.

Phase Three, beginning in Year Four and beyond, will see the programme fully institutionalized and integrated into CHAPA’s permanent land acquisition and housing development framework.

Cabinet has approved EC$500,000 in immediate funding to support the pilot phase of the programme. The funds will cover land acquisition costs, legal and valuation services, and tax incentive allocations. Additional financing will be sourced from CHAPA’s capital budget and supported through public-private partnership arrangements.

Officials indicated that the programme is expected to acquire between 25 and 30 parcels of land annually, facilitating the construction or allocation of a similar number of new affordable homes each year. It is also intended to reduce the amount of idle or underutilized private lands while expanding opportunities for citizens to access homeownership.

Over time, the initiative is projected to unlock more than 600 residential lots for housing development and accelerate the delivery of homes at concessionary rates to qualifying citizens.

CHAPA will serve as the lead implementing agency and will work closely with the Ministry of Housing and Works, the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Governance, the Survey and Mapping Division, and the Development Control Authority to ensure proper land valuation, planning approval, and fiscal oversight.

Cabinet has also authorized the Ministry of Housing and Works and CHAPA to finalize and implement the programme’s operational guidelines, while the Ministry of Finance will facilitate the necessary tax adjustments and incentive mechanisms. The programme will also be formally incorporated into CHAPA’s 2026–2028 Housing Implementation Plan.

Government officials say the Land Exchange and Redevelopment Programme represents a major step toward expanding affordable housing, stimulating activity in the construction sector, optimizing land use, and empowering more Antiguans and Barbudans to achieve homeownership.