SHDA hits conversion delays

Property developers affiliated with the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) have complained that lands intended as housing subdivision projects, with combined capacity to produce some 20,000 new housing units, are still awaiting the conversion approval or clearance from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

Jesus B. Atencio, newly-installed SHDA national president, reported the partial results gathered from the recent housing production survey conducted by SHDA among its member-developers nationwide to monitor the action being undertaken by different government departments and agencies on the developer’s applications for housing-related permits and clearances for their housing projects.

"DAR’s cooperation level is rather disappointing. At least 29 projects capable of turning out 20,000 new housing units are still pending action with DAR regional and central offices and DAR Secretary Hernani Braganza apparently does not appreciate the urgency of the matter, " Atencio said.

"Even as developers are hopeful over the government’s issuance of executive order no. 45, which prescribes time periods in the issuance of housing permits and licenses, as well as provides sanctions for failure to observe the same, they have yet to feel the full impact of the presidential order in the developer’s efforts to move housing in 2002 and beyond," he stressed.