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MARIGOT--Officials from mixed-capital company Semsamar including its President Wendel Cocks gave the media a tour on Friday of some of the ongoing social housing projects in Concordia and French Quarter, including an overview of maintenance in existing residences.
A recent development has been the realisation of eight playgrounds in the different homes that have been financed 50 per cent by Semsamar and 50 per cent by Caisse Allocation Familiale (CAF).
Cocks explained the housing schemes each have their own tenants associations that include a member from Semsamar which enables the company to get feedback on needs and social activities in each area. This also allows certain activities to be created where they are lacking.
A site inspection of a large project located above the Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital in the Spring, Concordia, consisting of 92 apartments ranging from one to three bedroom configurations was the next stop.
They are split into 62 apartments in the social housing category and 30 for very low income families. The latter receive co-financing from CAF making the apartments more affordable for these families.
Twenty three apartments have a floor area of 53m2, 46 at 65m2 and 23 at 78m2. All the apartments are available for rent. The project which has a panoramic view of Marigot is due to be completed at the end of this year.
"This is probably the last of the social housing projects for now because Semsamar's emphasis is more on ownership, helping occupants to own their property," Cocks added. "Semsamar is not only involved in construction, it is also engaged in quality of life and activities important for social cohesion."
In the hills above the project a large basin has been created to capture rain and flood water which is then redirected down through a massive flow pipe to safely bypass the buildings. The cliff's face has also been secured with netting anchored to prevent falling boulders. This technique was also used for the water reservoir located in the upper flanks of Concordia.
The project was budgeted at 14 million euros, 6 million of which was attributed to construction. After a pause due to lack of financing, the project re-started in 2013. Semsamar is the supervising contractor and some 40 construction workers from various local companies are working speedily to finish the project.
In 2015 Semsamar is due to reinforce its actions in favour of young people ages 15 to 20 years with cultural and sporting programmes as well as innovative programmes in the field of professional insertion. In the coming weeks meetings will be organised with the young tenants of the homes to better understand their needs.
