Plans to place 160 affordable housing units for Bermudians in the West End drew a mixed reaction during a town hall on Tuesday.

Dozens attended the event at Mount Zion AME Church, which addressed plans to build 110 one-bedroom units adjacent to Dr Cann Park in Southampton, 24 two-bedroom accommodations at Albert Row in Sandys, as well as 12 two-bedroom and 24 three-bedroom units at Victoria Place, also in Sandys.

While some praised Zane DeSilva, the Minister of Housing and Municipalities, for endeavouring to provide homes for Bermudians in need, one man questioned why the Government waited until things got critical to address an issue.

The man said: “If the rain is coming, and you see clouds, make sure you have an umbrella ready for the moment before it hits — don’t wait until you start getting wet.”

This comment came after Mr DeSilva revealed that 548 families were on the Bermuda Housing Corporation’s waiting list, with 125 considered in “critical need”.

Mr DeSilva, who is also the Deputy Premier, responded by saying that earlier plans to build 100 homes in Dockyard were abandoned after the One Bermuda Alliance took control of government in 2012.

He explained: “That government had a different perspective and stopped all construction, so different governments is a factor.”

A woman at the town hall said the Government appeared to be placing housing where people were “already on top of one another” and noted that the properties at Caroline Bay, which the Government reclaimed ownership of in 2019, were still unused.

She said: “I look around the island and see properties that Bermuda owns falling apart, we’re doing nothing about that.”

Mr DeSilva assured the woman that while the Government is fighting to get control of Caroline Bay, the structures themselves are in good shape.

He said: “We all know that we only have [21] square miles and that Government only has so much land, our choices are limited.”

Plans for Victoria Place and Albert Row, which both include playground areas, were submitted last month and the plans for the Southampton project, Cann Park II, came through last week.

Only units at Cann Park II will come with appliances, but all accommodations will be limited to Bermudians and built with in three-story complexes using precast concrete.

Mr DeSilva said precast construction costs between $420 and $520 per square foot, which he said is at least “40 to 50 per cent” cheaper than traditional building.

He added that the ministry is also considering providing housing in multi-story complexes in Hamilton.

One woman suggested placing an Urgent Care Centre in the West End, particularly given the influx of people expected to move into Cann Park II, which is designed specifically for people aged 50 and over.

Mr DeSilva said the Government had not considered that idea, but thanked her for the suggestion.

The minister briefly addressed the modular units planned for Boaz Island, which has proven much more contentious with residents than the permanent housing initiatives.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of the Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation, recently overturned the Development Applications Board’s decision to reject an application to put the nine units in a 0.64-acre vacant lot on Boaz Island.

He said three out of nine modular units that were the island as of Tuesday are at Morgan’s Point, another three are expected in Bermuda this week and the last three should arrive next week.

The BHC’s monthly rates are from between $1,000 and $1,100 for a studio, $1,300 to about $1,500 for a one bedroom, $1,800 to $1,900 for a two-bedroom and $2,200 to $2,400 for three-bedroom units.

Paul Martin, BHC chief executive and general manager, said: “These units may be $120 or a little more, because of financing and the whole process.”

Mr DeSilva said: “My hope is, as a country and a people, that we walk through these stages and as we build homes, we can sympathise and support the people that need us to build homes for them.”