Boaz Island residents have called on the Minister of the Cabinet Office to reject plans for a pilot modular home project in their community.

In a letter published alongside planning documents as part of an appeal to Diallo Rabain, a group said that the Development Applications Board’s refusal of the proposal validated their concerns and urged the Government to rethink its approach.

The correspondence said: “Bermuda is facing an urgent and deeply felt housing crisis and residents fully acknowledge the need for safe, stable and dignified accommodation for families in need.

“The concern is not with the intention behind such initiatives but with how and where they are implemented.”

The project, announced last year, proposed the purchase and installation of nine capsule homes in Sandys as part of efforts to address housing problems on the island.

A planning application for the project was rejected by the DAB, which found that the proposal went against policies in the Bermuda Plan 2018.

However, the Bermuda Housing Corporation launched an appeal last month, arguing that the project should be allowed given the “real and growing” housing crisis.

Keino Furbert-Jacobs, of the BHC, wrote then: “The BHC is tasked not only with maintaining housing stock but with responding to increasing demand at a time when many Bermudians are experiencing genuine economic hardship.

“The current cost of living, coupled with limited access to equitable income opportunities, requires us to think differently and act decisively.”

However, a letter from residents, added to the online planning file on May 1, urged Mr Rabain to uphold the DAB’s decision, noting that Boaz Island was one of the most densely populated parts of Bermuda.

The residents argued that introducing a high-density emergency housing development into the area could compound issues faced by residents.

They also noted the number of visitors who travel through Boaz Island on their way to and from Dockyard, stating that departing from the “Bermuda image” in such a visible area would mar the tourism experience.

Concerns were also raised that the “pilot” would set a precedent, encouraging private use of low-cost housing that does not align with Bermuda’s planning principles.

The residents questioned if the units were fit to survive storms.

The letter said: “While it has been suggested that these homes are designed to withstand Bermuda’s harsh weather conditions, including hurricanes, no tangible documentation or technical evidence has been publicly provided to substantiate this claim.

“In a jurisdiction where even well-constructed, traditional infrastructure has sustained damage from hurricanes of varying strengths, verbal assurances alone are not sufficient to address legitimate concerns around safety, durability and long-term suitability.”

The letter raised concerns that the project could set a precedent leading to wider use of low-cost housing models that may not align with Bermuda’s principles or national vision. It argued that there were a number of vacant buildings that could be used.

The letter said: “Specific examples such as Walsingham Cottage, Arboretum Cottage and Dubloon Hill Farm illustrate a broader pattern: underutilised public assets that could be rehabilitated to address urgent housing needs.

“The question therefore arises why have these opportunities not been prioritised, particularly when the need for housing has been evident for so long?”

The letter stated that a “comprehensive, forward-looking strategy” was needed to address the island’s housing woes. It urged that the DAB’s decision be upheld with greater consideration given to alternative solutions.

“Residents are not opposed to helping families in need,” it continued.

“What they are asking for is thoughtful, balanced planning that considers the realities of existing communities, the long-term vision for Bermuda and the importance of getting this right.”

Zane DeSilva, the Minister of Housing and Municipalities, said yesterday that he would meet Boaz Island residents to discuss their concerns this month and that he was optimistic they would be won over.