HOUSING AND LANDS MINISTER Michael Lashley says Government has collected more than $300 000 in rental arrears since it started offering its units to tenants free of cost.

Speaking at the Democratic Labour Party's City Constituency Conference at Harrison College, he reiterated Government's commitment to providing these units free to tenants who have lived in them for over 20 years with the payment of minimum legal fees, once there are no arrears.

Lashley said offer letters had been sent to those tenants who qualified and they had responded well.

He also announced that some 44 conveyances would be prepared for residents in the Ivy, St Michael, under the same programme very shortly.

Lashley also spoke about Government's $80 million housing programme that is aimed at upgrading, redeveloping and revitalising select low-income communities "while providing solutions to the challenge of affordable housing and incremental home construction".

Low-income earners are expected to benefit under the project through a subsidy.

"As a result 400 low-income families will receive upfront support subsidies of $10 000 to do repairs and renovations to their homes . . . .

"Further, Garden Land, Cats Castle and Greenfields are areas that will benefit under this programme. Today, I can tell you construction at Cats Castle is to commence in July 2010 for a period of 18 months, and construction at Greenfields is to commence in October 2010 for a period of 18 months," Lashley added. (PW)