More NHT home ownership opportunities, as the JEF honours the NHT (Oct-27-2010) The NHT (National Housing Trust) is increasing the number of prospective homeowners through home grants. Additionally, more NHT scheme units are to be handed over soon and the NHT was recently honoured by the JEF. Thirty selected for Home Grant benefits First Home Grant beneficiary: Prime Minister Bruce Golding presents a certificate to NHT contributor, Miss Pearl Peart, confirming that the cost of the insurance on the house she will be buying, has been covered for one year. Ms. Peart received the insurance special offer as she is the first Home Grant beneficiary. Her Home Grant of $1.2 million will help her purchase a house.Looking on are NHT Chairman, Mr. Howard Mitchell and Managing Director of the Trust, Mrs. A. Cecile Watson.The presentation took place at Jamaica House on October 6.   Thirty beneficiaries were selected for the NHT’s new Home Grant facility in September. The Home Grant which was introduced earlier this year, is one of the initiatives to make home ownership more affordable, particularly for low income contributors. To be eligible for a Home Grant, applicants earning incomes that place them  in the 1% and 3% interest rate  bands and should be first-time home owners. Persons receiving Home Grants are not required to repay the Grant. However, they will be required to repay any additional mortgage funding received from the Trust, to go towards the purchase of their home. Unions Estate handover coming soon The NHT will be handing over keys to beneficiaries of apartments and townhouses at the  Unions Estates, St. Catherine at a formal function on November 12. Unions Estate is a development of the NHT in collaboration with the Joint Confederation of Trade Unions and the Jamaica Civil Service Association.  To date, 510 units comprising two and three bedroom apartments and two bedroom townhouses have been completed.  The NHT is in the process of allocating the units to persons who applied either via their unions or through the regular NHT intake process. Young  contributors to get special consideration for NHT Scheme Units The NHT is setting aside a portion of its scheme units for young contributors aged 29 to 35 years who qualify for the scheme benefits. This is to ensure that these contributors gain an opportunity to own a house in NHT schemes, against a background where mostly older contributors are considered for such benefits. This special consideration will begin with the Union’s Estate Scheme at Twickenham Park, as well as future NHT schemes. Conditions apply. JEF Award JEF Award presentation: The NHT’s Managing Director, Mrs. A. Cecile Watson (right) accepts the JEF award from Mrs. Bernita Locke, First Vice President, JEF at the organization’s annual awards ceremony, on Thursday, October 21. The Jamaica Employers’ Federation (JEF) has honoured the NHT for good corporate citizenship and for outstanding support of the work of the JEF over the years.  An award was presented to the NHT at the organization’s annual awards ceremony, on  Thursday, October 21.  This award is the second that the employers’ group has bestowed on the Trust.  In 2000 the JEF recognized the NHT for leadership in the public sector. Call Centre now offering LIVE HELP via the NHT Website The NHT recently launched its brand Live Help Support system which takes the format of a web chat with its team of Customer Care agents. Live support can be accessed via the NHT corporate website during office opening hours by users locally as well as those overseas. For more information about this and other NHT activities and programmes, visit our website at www.nht.gov.jm