Subdivision, housing developers group to address common woes
Subdivision and Housing developers in Central and
The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association, Incorporated (SHDA) has been formed five years ago but it was only now that they pursued a formal registration.
According to the association’s adviser Margie Matheu, SHDA is very much different from other real estate industry associations like the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders' Associations (CREBA) because its membership include only subdivision and housing builders and developers excluding the brokers and contractors.
Matheu also added that SHDA was formed so that the industry sector can easily identify and formulate solutions to the common problems that are faced by the stakeholders.
“We want to understand the problems of the industry and work for its solution as a group,” Matheu said.
During their recently held general membership meeting at the City Sports Club, SHDA discussed inherent issues that cover the rising prices of construction materials such as paint, cement and steel.
“Surging prices is making it harder for the average Filipinos to acquire housing so as an association we can now bond together and negotiate with manufacturers to give us better pricing,” said JJ Atencio SHDA’s former national president and the president of 8990 Housing Development Corporation, the developer of Deca Homes mass housing subdivisions.
Another problem that SHDA underscored is the issue on government relations. One of those highlighted is the concern on the slow processing of lot titles by the Bureau of Lands Management which affects the pricing of most units. This problem creates an imbalance between the high demand of houses with the low supply of processors, Matheu added.
Another concern is on the utilization of the government’s tax incentives from the Bureau of Investments. As a group, SHDA now expects to be honored with this privilege.
“We want the government (local) to help the association have better, more transparent dealings with regards to the monitoring, permitting, and inspection of buildings, subdivisions and lots in their respective areas to avoid delays in our projects,” Atencio further added.
Even the national issue on the moratorium of land conversions has been tackled by SHDA. As part of the government’s effort to avert the rice crisis, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently issued a moratorium on the land use conversion of agricultural lands.
Although an exemption has been issued to all government and private sector socialized housing projects still SHDA believe that the rice crisis in the country cannot entirely be related or attributed to the conversion of farmlands to housing projects.
“The issue that conversion of lands to real estate developments had lead to the country’s rice crisis is not entirely true because only less than one percent of agricultural lands have been converted since the inception of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP),” said Atencio quoting data from DAR.
However Atencio stressed that despite soaring prices of basic commodities these days, the housing industry still remains vibrant with several on-going housing developments.
SHDA has 16 founding members which include three companies from outside of
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