Renovations to reopen four apartments on Middletown Lane are “substantially complete” as the Government works to address housing challenges on the island.

Zane DeSilva, the Minister of Housing and Municipalities, said that the new two-bedroom units at the Pembroke site could welcome tenants as soon as June 1.

He noted: “Housing is about more than buildings. It’s about stability, dignity and opportunity, and today’s update is a clear example of our commitment to delivering all three.”

Mr DeSilva said that the works at Browne House, named in honour of Dame Lois Browne Evans, and the neighbouring Evans Cottage were not “minor upgrades” but a full modernisation of the units including new concrete floor slabs, new windows, upgraded electrical systems, new plumbing and the installation of new kitchen cabinetry.

Mr DeSilva said that while the project was originally budgeted at about $391,000, challenges arose during the work which caused an additional $52,000 in expense.

He explained: “During construction we encountered significant water infiltration within the original Bermuda stone walls as well as vegetation and root systems embedded within the structure itself.

“Addressing these issues required additional remediation to ensure the long-term integrity and durability of the building.

“That work was necessary and it was the responsible thing to do.”

Mr DeSilva said the project, along with others, would help to increase the availability of high-quality affordable housing in Bermuda.

He said: “We are addressing housing from multiple angles through refurbishment programmes, new construction and the development of a long-term affordable housing strategy because there is no single solution to Bermuda’s housing challenges.

“It requires sustained co-ordinated action, but projects like this matter.

“They may be modest in scale but they deliver real results for our people, they restore existing housing stock, improve living conditions and make better use of assets that we already have.”

Mr DeSilva said that new units at Battery Road in St David’s were hoped to be ready by August or September.

He noted the recently announced ten-year strategy included plans to build about 300 new homes within the next 18 months to help address the housing challenges.

Mr DeSilva said: “We have an aggressive timetable with a very assertive team and we will achieve the goals that we set.”

Asked what consideration had been given to using vacant government buildings to help the effort, Mr DeSilva said there was an “active investigation and assessment” being carried out.

He also said that a modular housing pilot project was progressing, “providing faster, more flexible housing solutions while we continue to advance longer term developments.”

While the modular housing project had garnered pushback from Boaz Island residents, Mr DeSilva said he would meet with members of the neighbourhood community to help address their concerns.

He said: “I met with the residents a couple months ago. I will be meeting with them again at the end of this month. I think we can come to a happy medium.

“Let me state for the record I am from Boaz Island. I used to live in government homes, so that is my old stomping ground.

“I know a lot of the people who are still there, believe it or not.

“We will meet with them and I think that there’s some horse trading that can take place and I am optimistic that they will be won over.”

Asked what would happen to the capsule units if the planning application, which was rejected by the Development Applications Board, is not approved on appeal, Mr DeSilva said: “My phone has been ringing off the hook. Everybody wants to buy them.”