Column: Michael Fahy On Housing & More
[Opinion column written by Michael Fahy]
The Government has done a Ministry restructure creating a dedicated Ministry of Housing and Municipalities since, per the Premier, housing “is one of the most vital issues that our island faces today” and “Given its importance the Government will dedicate a full ministry to housing, emphasising how critical affordable housing solutions are to Bermuda’s future.”
It is an admirable move but is also a tacit recognition that after 21 years of PLP rule, there is still a housing crisis in Bermuda. I am grateful to the Leader of the Opposition in appointing me as Shadow Minister to this portfolio in addition to Home Affairs.
I have had a real interest in this area for years, first writing in the Bermuda Sun in 2008 about my desire to see the Bishop Spencer School be used for Emergency Housing. I will address this in another article.
During the 2025 election campaign the PLP touted a record of “delivering 70 homes”. Columnist Bryant Trew largely addressed this claim in his excellent piece herein April 2024: Selective facts about housing figures. As such I won’t repeat the math. Instead, what I will comment on is that the Bermuda Housing Corporation is simply nibbling at the edges of what is a serious issue and our housing issues are in fact far more than dealing with emergency housing.
One problem is there is just not enough stock, especially in the one and two-bedroom market at a reasonable rent. Advertised rental units, if you can find them at all, come off the market faster than you can snap your fingers. On propertyskipper.com at the time of writing [Friday 28 February] there were 27 one- and two-bedroom properties listed island-wide with three-quarters listed at eye-watering rental sums. Why is that?
The issues are well documented. But in my view, we need to have a totally different holistic look at the entire matter. Housing cannot be examined in a simple vacuum. I have written previously about changing planning height restrictions and considering different building materials is a start. In short, if we are to encourage building for our future, we need to consider many things, not only renovating existing units for low-income needs. Admirable and absolutely required, yes, but it is a band aid approach.
I suspect there are a number of people and companies that benefit from maintaining the status quo, which has inhibited our ability to be innovative. We typically say “no” in Bermuda to innovation and we need to end that now. In order to make informed decisions about our housing needs, from emergency housing to suitable units for single people and small families, we need to undertake a census urgently.
We also need to consider how immigration policy has influenced our current housing crisis, which falls squarely on this government. I say that since there was a fundamental shift in immigration patterns which has had a detrimental effect on availability of one- and two-bedroom units for Bermudians. This began when term limits were introduced.
In short, when longer term residents left the island who were renting family homes, they were replaced by guest workers who were single or married without children who then competed on a far larger level than ever in the one bedroom and two-bedroom market against Bermudians. Equally, the now-ended digital nomad program had the same effect. As our population ages, more and more seniors will be looking for one and two-bedroom units. All this drives up rental unit costs.
So, what should we do? We need to have a very quick and serious look at numerous pieces of legislation to incentivize building of one- and two-bedroom units for rental and sale, firstly to Bermudians – families and seniors. We need to build higher in the City of Hamilton and encourage city living. We need to ensure new building codes include elements of clean and sustainable energy. Most of all we need accurate figures to give us true insight into issues that can only currently be identified through extrapolation from out of date figures.
Over the coming weeks I will be reaching out to stakeholders in the community to get their perspectives, learn and share ideas for the betterment of Bermuda.
- Michael Fahy is a former Cabinet Minister and is the MP for Constituency 20 and the Shadow Minister for Housing & Municipalities and Home Affairs. He can be contacted at opedfahy@gmail.com.
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OBA built 1 affordable home in 5 years.
And even if that was true , where were they supposed to get the money from after being handed a broke government that they had to borrow even more to add to the debt just to keep the civil service employed ?
Yes, and did it sell or am I still paying for it with no one wanting to live in it?
Yea, that’s what I thought.
Try again.
There was no money. The PLP Had emptied the bank, and there was not enough money to pay the Government workers Payroll. Saving Bermuda will all hands on deck was what they were forced to do by the PLP. The OBA did an amazing job. Please don’t state thigs out of context to suit your agenda.
That may or may not be correct, but it is worth remembering that Bob Richards reported that when the OBA came to power the government had no plan for servicing our debt. In the OBA’s first budget they had to borrow money to pay interest on our debt because there was no debt repayment plan, much less any debt reduction plan.
And our debt has only increased since then.
How many affordable homes did the PLP build between 1998 and 2012?
Do you consider the $100 MILLION odd White Elephant/Grand Atlantic/Bermudiana Beach to be affordable housing?
Many more than one.
Ask all the folks residing at Loughlands, Perimeter Lane, and Harbourview Village!
“Ask all the folks residing at Loughlands, Perimeter Lane, and Harbourview Village!”
I do not know about Loughlands, but the residents of both the Perimeter Lane and Harbourview Village developments have sued the Bermuda Housing Corporation for failing to maintain those properties in a safe and habitable condition.
Providing unsafe housing is not something to be proud of.
They inherited a PLP $400mn+ ANNUAL deficit and a cratering economy.
The polatition says AFFORDABLE HOUSING. that is rubbish no body work for free these days.
i wonder how long they new ones will last ?
i said that afordable housing was an imposable dream i wil say to the polatition stop building promices and false hops to get the vote . most people can not hold a paint brush
Here is why !
This is only part of the game .
How easy is for you all to be moan Col Burch he did not ask for it .they dumped the project on him because they did no want it for them selves blame them ! i have seen it happen before the place was being maintained while it was being built sounds crazy !
Would you like to let a working man go with a family to suport? NO !
Would you like your life threatened ? NO !
Would you like to see a Water Heater take a walk the same day it was installed ? NO !
Got $10,000 for plans ?
The only way you can build an affordable home is for the owners and family and relatives and may be one or two friend all to employ their personal sweat equity and you take shortcuts. .
There is a price to pay. you may save 5%. not enough for deposit on a new car .
If Government were to drop the duty on all imported building materials by way of a purchaser refunds, doing that for one projec,
There would be a very long line at Governments door wanting refunds that would that would reduce Government revenue and require strict controls tha is a office with 5 people to audit that who pays for that you do !
What if the cement mixer would disappear over the week end the job comes to a stand still. but the pay roll does not. stop .
The private car woul be used as a truck in 3 or 4 months the thing would be a wreck.
What about serious personal injury blanket policy for the men! who pays for that ? .
Owner builder attempting the building of his own house today will face a monumental task unless using experienced as a building contractor should be they get commision 10% on the mens wages .
This can not be a week end project you will nee to quit you day job to take on the job as builder if so the bank may noe want you out of work unless you pay yourself.
WAGES subject to union wages control unless sub-contractors are used for carpentry ; mechanics ;painters; plumber; etc !
Personal insurance and pension contributions would need to be dealt with.
INFLATION.
Concete block doubled in price a year ago and not stoping there !
Personal note >>>>> Bermuda is drowning in its own sweat ! <<<<<<.
Cost over runs due to inflation would take the house over budget .
The owner builder would be required to take out a comprehensive builders insurance policy would a bank want take the risk by financing other wise the plan with a open check book on those of projects will fail
I will stop here
because many of you will by now stop reading.
Did i do all that I am not telling
They found 40M for America’s cup. I am sure they could have built more than 1 housing unit. But it wasn’t their priority.
That is categorically false.
Here’s a quote taken from the executive summary of the independent audit of the event by PWC:
“The forecast prepared during the bid process for the America’s Cup
assumed a budget expense of $77.0 million and a total economic
impact from the event of $242.2 million. The actual expenditures
totaled $64.1 million, a saving of approximately $12.9 million. The
total economic impact topped $336.4 million, an increase of $94.2
million over expected outcomes and representing a 525% return
on the investment.”
Your statement is proof that ignorance is a choice. Amazing what a Google Search and a bit of reading can do, inna?
Ignorance is a choice. Why do you choose it? Why do you embarrass your family like this?
Your bigotry blinds you to common sense…makes you, and your people, look angry and unhinged.
POLITICAL PROPERGANDA .
The election is over no need to mislead the public toting Affordable Housing.
I am no longer going to waist my time banging my head against the wall on the issue.
The public have rejected Bermudiana beach as too expensive .
you all need to stop mis leading the public.
You can no longer keep giving away public land for pet projects.
Taxing the public to build a palace for people who don’t want to stay at home.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT ACHIEVABLE UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM .
The election is over !
I think that you need to read if not done the Bermuda Housing Corporating act .
That plan worked depending on who turns the wheels .
The failure of Bermudiana Beach must tell you that by not recognizing the consequences of the actions it is noted that all the eggs went in to one basket.
People low income with masive taxation restricts affordability for rents and forget about home ownership and home maintenance impacts affordability.
Why do you think there so many vacant a derelict house back then ? mis placed title deeds, not suitable for todays living and more the value is in the land !
That lack of afordability could be people spent their money on other, like food .
Are they telling people how to live as it is the way to day, a family of 4 all need to work and homestead extended family to survive .
The sortage on land causes land prices to sky rocket , asking the question, do we have more people than land ,just guessing !
Many dwellings have part conversions to Air B& B units that puts over seas income in peoples pocket an ideal a stop gap to cover hotels under renovation.
Taxation take away virtually every persons ability to survive on the island so people leave Bermuda, never to return .
Tomorrow is not promised.
Do you know what it is like to have two jobs day and with night past midnight Just to keep up . I do !
Are your plans for temporary housing, the writing is on the wall , with the low turn out , last election . Were they home packing ?
We /you can have your cake an eat it with rentals the down side of rental will always be be taxation maintenance and repairs .
Tell me who is going to give up space on the upper floors of premium property.
i could tell you where you will go wrong , but no body listens or much cares .
What would be a better more inclusive option ?
Converting the city in to a residential paradise sounds great and were are you going to park all the cars? on city streets
“I think that you need to read if not done the Bermuda Housing Corporating act ”
Sorry, PAC MAN. The Bermuda Housing Corporation Act 1973 has been repealed.
And in any event, the construction of the White Elephant/Grand Atlantic/Bermudiana Beach Club was not a choice made by the Bermuda Housing Corporation. It was done on instructions from the Minister.