LOW INCOME HOUSING PHASE III

investors against default on housing loans made to the Government of Liberia (GOL). HG funds will be used to expand development of low-income housing alternatives for the poor of metropolitan Monrovia. The National Housing Authority (NHA) and the National Housing and Savings Bank (NHSB) will implement the project, a follow-on of Project 6690167. Sites and services subprojects, comprising 1,100-1,400 units, will be implemented in two locations accessible from the Freeway and having employment opportunities in the Free Port area. Five low-income shelter options will be provided. At the New Georgia subproject, neighborhood collector roads will link all sites, and individual water, sewage, and electrical connections will be extended. A new graded road will connect the Barnersville site to the Freeway. Each unit will have water, sewer, and electricity. The GOL will sell mid-income units at market price to earn a profit, enabling sale of low-income units at subsidized prices as low as $1,000. A community improvement program will be implemented in New Kru Town. Proposed improvements include upgrading individual sewage disposal units; providing materials for improving/expanding existing structures; road improvements; street lighting extension; community toilets; and filling a central depression to prepare for a sites and services project. To develop its capability in the low-income housing market, NHSB will use HG funds as seed capital to provide 2,000 families and 150 businesses with home and business improvement loans of up to $2,500 at reasonable market rates. Grant funds from Project 6690167 will be used to provide additional staff for NHA (22) and NHSB (29) and to train 40 individuals at each insitituion. Finally, a pilot upgrading project will be implemented for low-income families in a secondary (rural) city. The city will be required to function as a regional agricultural center; to have access to Monrovia; and to have employment-generation potential. Costs of the services provided will be recovered by property assessments or utility charges.