Board Scheme Concept: Prospect of Providing Tenure Security Solutions to Squatter Settlements in Jamaica

Abstract

Inadequate supply of affordable housing for persons of lower economic status has plagued many countries. This inadequacy is exacerbated by the expense of tenure legitimization through formal channels. The end result is a constant increase in squatter communities. This paper, through the use of surveys and interviews, explores one concept (Board Scheme Concept) that has been utilized by lower income families in western Jamaica to arrive at de facto legitimate housing solutions. It is then applied to squatting to determine the potential for implementation and a review of similar such tenure security initiatives in alignment with the concept. The results suggest that a burdened formal titling system can be simplified, thereby reducing fear of loss of tenure, by creating a bridge between private and government owned land ownership processes utilizing other simplistic land lease approaches to tenure, which in turn may create the potential for permanent homeownership