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Tag: LagosHOMS

  • LagosHoms launches service charter document

    LagosHoms launches service charter document

    Lagos State Mortgage Board, operators of Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LagosHoms), has unveiled its Service Charter.

     General Manager, Bayowa Foresythe, said the charter was to reintroduce the board’s service delivery to residents.

     Foresythe added the initiative would ensure effective and efficient customer service. 

     “The purpose of our charter is to create access to our mortgage and Rent-to-Own service through transparency, communication and dissemination of information,” he said.

     He outlined efforts to minimise the housing deficit.

     According to him, since 2014, the organisation has provided over 5,000 affordable homes.

     Foresythe urged homeowners to take responsibility and maintain their property, encouraging timely repayment to support efforts in providing housing for others.

     He asked for patience from residents as external factors, such as economic conditions and delay in scheme completion, can impact availability of housing.

    Read Also: 14 Premium Pension customers access equity contribution for residential mortgage 

     Foresythe stressed effective communication, punctuality, and a customer-focused approach are essential for success, adding as the agency transits into a new phase, the aim is to operate efficiently.

     Former Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture, Adenike Ajayi, emphasised importance of customers’ feedback and effective communication in enhancing service delivery.

     She encouraged employees not to feel threatened when customers report their grievances.

     Customers’ complaints, she said, should serve as valuable insights for improvement.

     She stressed the need to take complaints seriously and use them as opportunities to make necessary improvements in the services provided.

     “My advice to those driving the charter is to ensure their services are rendered in line with the chartered document which is the standard. If there is any service failure, they should manage it well and ensure customers have a good experience. I also implore the members of the public coming for the service to also ensure they interact with the system. Know your rights, complain and give feedback,” she said.

  • Ambode plans monthly payment on LagosHOMS

    Ambode plans monthly payment on LagosHOMS

    •More houses coming soon 

    Lagos State plans to introduce monthly payments on its Home Ownership Mortgage Schemes, popularly called Lagos HOMS, in a bid to cushion the effects of the recession.

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who said this after an extensive inspection of projects, said his administration decided to scale up the rent-to-own policy by introducing a monthly payment plan.

    According to him,  people can pay monthly instead of being compelled to make a down payment of 30 per cent or one year.

    He said: “We believe strongly that people should be able to pay one month and live in our housing schemes. We don’t think in a recession, we should be having a situation where we allow people to come and buy when they don’t have money or to come and pay one year rent.

    “We think the way to move forward is to allow these our younger ones to just pay one month deposit and pay one month rent and move into the houses and then more or less play up our rent-to-own scheme.”

    Ambode said the government took time to review its mortgage schemes vis-à-vis its financial flow, adding that many housing schemes have reached advanced stages of completion, and that they would be rolled out soon.

    The governor, who inspected the Illubirin Housing Scheme on Lagos Island, said government, in partnership with the private sector, was making arrangement to transform the scheme into a live, work and play environment.

    “In addition, the other housing projects that we are doing are on course and I want to assure Lagosians that in the next few months, we will be seeing a lot of housing units,” the governor said.

    Commissioner for Housing Gbolahan Lawal debunked insinuations that the Illubirin Housing Scheme was abandoned, saying government is improving on the project, which is sitting on 28 hectares.

    Ambode also inspected the construction of a lay-by and slip road into Isheri Olowora at Berger.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Allottees hail LagosHOMS’ initiative

    Allottees hail LagosHOMS’ initiative

    A businessman, Mohammed Adisa, has praised the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LagosHOMS), established by the  former Governor Babatunde Fashola administration.

    Adisa, who spoke to The Nation at the handing over ceremony of a one-bedroom apartment he won in the LagosHOMS initiative in the Mushin scheme, argued that such initiatives should be made as a ‘starting’ point for every state government towards providing housing for the people.

    He advocated that a law that will make every other government that comes on board in any state of the federation make housing provision for the people compulsory be enacted. This, he said, will ensure that every income earning individual would be able to own a home of their own.

    Another allottee, Mrs. Yetunde Adebimpe, who resides in Ibadan, Oyo State, expressed satisfaction on the initiative. Adebimpe, who represented her husband at the allocation, explained that benefitting from the scheme was possible for her family since her hubby works and resides in Lagos. “We are happy that we have been awarded. I am excited that it is the reality today,” she said.

    At the handing over of the homes last week, Housing Commissioner, Gbolahan Lawal, noted that the handing over of the flats was yet another milestone in the effort of the administration of Governor Akinwumi Ambode at providing decent and affordable accommodation for the state.

    Besides, he said, it is also in line with the policy of ‘’continuity with improvement’’ of the present administration, as the state is committed not only to increasing the housing stock, but also to improving the entire housing delivery process with a view to ensuring that the units are more readily accessible and wealth is created.

    The LagosHOMS Mushin outlay, whose construction commenced in 2012, is located on a land area of 0.77 hectares, and comprises five blocks of 12 units, each totaling 60 units.  There are 20 units of one, two and three-bedroom flats. Facilities provided include roads and car park, mini water works, external electrification, neighborhood’s garden, recreation and green areas. The Estate is fenced and gated. The Estate added to the growing list of completed Estates under Ambode’s administration, which include Oko-Oba Housing Estate, M.K.O. Garden Housing Estate and Omole Scheme.

    Lawal said efforts are in place to create a serene environment that could enhance good quality living. He, therefore, charged the allottees to make good use of the facilities provided and ensure that they are properly maintained.

    “It is the intention of the government to provide facility managers for all our estates in order to ensure that they are adequately maintained and we wish to enjoin all our allottees to cooperative with the facility managers in this regard,” he advised.

    While government’s housing initiative may be commendable, there are complaints about the cost of buying into such schemes. Often, prospective buyers have lamented the 30 per cent down payment requirement, as well as the total cost of the house.

    For instance, allottees of one bedroom flat in the LagosHOMS Mushin scheme have to pay between N6.8 million   and N7 million;  and N17.5 million for three-bedroom over a period of 10 years to claim full ownership.

    Both Adisa and Adebimpe are, however, of the thinking that the prices are reasonable. However, they are unanimous that the initial deposit of 30 per cent should be reduced to 10 per cent, so that the aim of making housing available would not be defeated.

    “Buying three-bedroom flat in Lagos at N17.5 million is not cheap, but when you look at cost of getting a land in Lagos and building where you actually want to be, then I don’t think it is expensive. As it is now, from what obtains in the open market, I won’t say it is expensive. But government can plan adequately to make these houses more affordable,” Adebimpe explained.

    The state government may have long heard the cries of the people in respect of cost of housing. This, Lawal said, is why the government recently unveiled the “Rent-To-Own” (RTO) policy in addition to the ongoing mortgage scheme. The policy is aimed at making housing more readily accessible and affordable, particularly to low and medium income earners both in the formal and informal sectors.

    Under the RTO arrangement, individuals are required to pay five per cent of the value of the housing unit as commitment fee and rent is paid over a 10-year period at six per cent interest rate towards ownership of the unit being occupied.

    The programme is expected to commence with selected estates across the three senatorial Districts of the state.

  • LagosHOMS delivers 54 homes in Oko-oba housing scheme

    The Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LagosHOMS) has again provided 54 residents of the state with houses under its scheme.

    The General Manager, Lagos State Mortgage Board, Dehinde Tunwashe, said that the Oko-oba scheme, which was inaugurated recently, has large sized two and three-bedroom apartments in a gated community, adding that giving them out was a way of alleviating the housing problems being faced by Lagosians and also meeting up their  demand for decent and affordable housing.

    He stressed that the Oko Oba scheme which is about 15 minutes’ drive from Ikeja, the state capital, boasts of state-of-the-art facilities like street lights, water treatment plant, community hall, external gas cylinder cage, laundromat, security post, adequate parking space, electricity pre-paid meters, estate management office and utility generator.

    Tunwase assured that the state government would not relent in its efforts at reducing housing deficit in the state while it would continue to give housing a priority. He said that aside the completed Oko-Oba scheme, construction was ongoing at different sites across the state and that, as soon as they were completed, they would be put up for sale to resident.

    He therefore urged the general public to take advantage of the scheme, adding that applications were now open for interested members of the public who are aspiring to own their first home. Applicants, he further said, should visit the scheme’s office or log on to their website: www.lagoshoms.gov.ng.

  • LagosHOMS: Allottees to smile as rent-to-own scheme set for roll-out

    LagosHOMS: Allottees to smile as rent-to-own scheme set for roll-out

    The lull in the delivery of housing units under the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme to allottees may be over very soon. The delay may not be unconnected with the change in government and the re-engineering of government operations going on in the state. Now, in furtherance of empowering more residents to own houses, the state is set to roll out a rent-to-own scheme, raising the hope of millions of Lagosians, writes MUYIWA LUCAS.

    In Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, shelter comes second after food. This is why no government interested in the welfare of its people toil with accommodation for its citizens.

    The Lagos State government, aware of the enormous pressure this constitute, has through various schemes tried to ameliorate the sufferings of the people in this regard. One of such initiatives is its Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LagosHOMS), launched toward the end of the last administration.

    But the continued pressure on the state government to deliver on the scheme has been slowed down. This is because of the change in government and the restructuring of government business. But last week, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Mr. Olatunji Odunlami, in a meeting with allotees of Mushin, Igando and Sangotedo schemes, assured of the renewed efforts to deliver the houses on schedule.

    Odunlami appealed to the allottees be patient promising that government is determined to deliver quality and well finished houses to the allottees. He blamed the electioneering period which usually affects government business and the reengineering of government business at this period, as the cause of the delay in handing over units in the Mushin scheme, assuring that the allottees will get their house keys by this month end.

     

    The delay

    According to Odunlami, the delay in the delivery of the houses was due to the state government’s afforts at streamlining the approach to providing services to residents.

    He said: “The government is trying to reengineer itself to serve the people better. Those houses ought to have been completed and delivered because the Mushin project is already at 95 per cent but the estate will be completed and keys handed over to the allotees at the end of this month. “The governor has given a mandate to the ministry to do a review of all the ongoing housing estates under the scheme to help in completing all the outstanding.”

     

    Allottees demand

    At the meeting with the state government, the allottees appealed to the government to look into their demands and request, especially since they were supposed to have taken possession of the units since December last year.  They demanded that government should refund rents already paid by allottees to their landlords from December last year to the time they will get their allocation.

    Responding to the demand, Odunlami explained that whether government would pay them the rent that is owed, will involve dialogue.

    “We can keep talking and definitely, government will do what it can do because these are our people. Whatever they have asked and whatever is possible is what we are going to do. Some of them may be saying they want to take back their money. We don’t want them to do that because we have committed to them.

    “But if somebody is insisting that he wants to take his money, maybe he thinks his money has been spent, then they would be asked to come and pick up their money. Government has committed that they look; we are going to deliver to you, as far as it is a commitment of the government, then people should hold on to it. Like I was discussing with someone that even if someone wants to take his money, today-that let me come my money temporarily, we won’t withdraw the allocation. So when he is done, bring back your money and pay it to us. It is just to show your commitment and that is why you are paying. If you don’t do that and then you don’t it on time, then you will have issues at the end of the day.”

     

    Rent-to-own scheme

    Odunlami said to further provide housing for Lagosians, the state government will soon commence a rent-to-own scheme under the Homeownership Mortgage Scheme. He explained that modalities were being worked out to ensure its smooth take off. The scheme was initiated by former governor Babatunde Fashola, to encourage residents to participate in the state’s housing scheme aimed at reducing shortage of homes. He said  under the scheme, those who cannot afford the equity for an outright purchase of a house will pay a rent for a specific period, which will go towards offsetting the cost of the house.

    This, he further explained, is part of government’s efforts aimed at expanding the home ownership schemes as much as possible for people. “For government to bring out a policy, we have to think about it critically; consider the entire element involved vis-a-vis the people for whom you are planning the programme. We are in the process now; we are working out the number to see what it comes to, based on our yardstick which is usually the public servants whom we can easily track. The private sector can also key into the scheme,” Odunlami said.

     

    Other schemes

    The Sangotedo and Igando schemes, the Permanent Secretary assured, would be completed in phases and done simultaneously. The permanent secretary said all previous agreements reached in respect of the houses would be implemented.

    “We will continue to work simultaneously on the Sangotedo and Igandu schemes, Sangotedo is 60 per cent completed,

    “Look at Anthony Enahoro Estate in Ogba; all its facilities are in place; that estate is connected; they have transformer there, that’s what they are using now. The only thing that they were talking about was the issue of alternative power supply. I think a lot of people felt that alternative power is a responsibility of government, it is not.

     

    Infrastructure, maintenance

    An allottee under the Mushin scheme, Mr. Dotun Coker, appealed to the state government to address the issue of power supply to the estate and others. To this end, Odunlami explained that the estates would soon be connected to the national grid as generating sets would not be allowed under the scheme.

    Besides, the state government would engage facility managers from the private sector to manage the estates. “There is a need for coordinated approach to maintenance and facility managers will be employed. The government is not set to manage the estates, it will provide the necessary wherewithal and allow the private sector to run it,” he clarified.

    In estates such as Anthony Enahoro in Ogba, Odunlami said he is aware of the issue of alternative power supply. He disclosed that though everybody wants to use generator, but for health and other reasons, that will not be possible. “We don’t allow people to bring in individual generator. You won’t be able to control it. That is why the best thing to do is to bring what is readily available, a big generator.      But the running of it is the responsibility of the residents because they are the ones consuming it; that is what we are working on now,” he said.

  • ‘With LagosHOMS, I’ve hope in Nigeria’

    A Lagos resident, who emerged winner of a home at the fifth public draw of the Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LagosHOMS), Mr. Aina Oluwafemi,  expressed yesterday confidence in the scheme.

    The visibly excited new home owner, who could not hide his joy, said the transparency involved in the scheme has assured him that there was hope for his children.

    He said: “If this is happening in Nigeria, there is hope for our children. I had applied online and was expecting it prayerfully by faith when I received a mail that I am qualified for the draw, and as the draw was going on, I heard my name as one of the lucky winners.”

    Oluwafemi said his earlier intention was to save money and build a property in the state, until he heard about the scheme.

    “My thought was to gather money and buy a house and move in, but when this came up, I applied. The whole process was transparent and I am lucky to be one of the winners.”

    Another winner, Mr. Obi Mordi, described the initiative as a laudable.

    “I had plans to buy a property but no fund to develop it, but when my colleague won a flat in Shogunro and he told me it was free and fair, I tried it and here I am.

    “It is a good initiative and it shows that things can work in this country if we have the right leadership and the right ideas.”

    Also, Miss Rotanna Onyedi said winning a home gave her the personal feeling that her tax and government were working for her.

    Governor Babatunde Fashola said ethnicity and religion were not conditions for benefitting from the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (Lagos HOMS).

    The governor added that the scheme “does not ask religious questions. It does not ask ethnic questions. So, tell those who want to divide us by religion that they will fail. This housing scheme has further bound us together”.

    Fashola went on: “It is free from bribery and man-know-man syndromes. Applicants do not have to know any government official at any level to benefit from the scheme.

    “I do not know any state in the federation in the country where two hundred homes are put in the market every month. I do not even know any country in West Africa where two hundred homes are put in the market every month. This is happening in Lagos State and by an All Progressives Congress (APC) government.”

    The governor said the  government did not borrow from any bank locally or internationally to fund the housing projects, noting that the housing projects “are being executed 100 per cent by the state government”.

    He added:  “We have not borrowed a dime from any bank. So, there is no bank charge on this scheme. It is executed with the tax payers’ money. The state government is not paying interest to any bank because of this scheme”.

    He added that a rent-to-own housing programme “has been introduced. And the programme will capture junior public servants, artisans, tradesmen and those who cannot afford 30 percent equity contribution now. It will allow people in this category pay rents, which forms the basis for their mortgage in the long run.”

     

  • Fashola introduces ‘Rent-to-own’ home ownership scheme

    Fashola introduces ‘Rent-to-own’ home ownership scheme

    LAGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has introduced ‘Rent to own’ scheme under the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LagosHOMS).

    Fashola, who announced the development at an interactive session yesterday with tradesmen and artisans at the Blue Roof,  LTV 8, Agidingbi, Ikeja, said the development was geared to accommodate artisans in the scheme.

    He  explained that under the new scheme, intended home owners do not need to pay the 30 per cent down payment before they can move into their apartment.

    According to him, “we have initiated a rent-to-own scheme. The scheme will allow artisans and traders to access Lagos Homes. The artisans do not have to pay 30 per cent down payment before they move to their apartments. The moment they are qualified for the scheme, they will be allow to move in under the rent-to-own scheme.”

    He explained that the beneficiary will be paying rents, which will eventually lead to mortgage.

    “But in an instance where a beneficiary loses his job and cannot continue with the scheme after some years, such a person will get back all he has paid. Already, another person is waiting to buy the apartment,” he said

    The governor said investigations carried out recently revealed that most people in the informal could also afford the mortgage scheme, going by their monthly income and profit.

    He urged the artisans to take advantage of the development and apply for their choice homes in the scheme.

    “The artisans and traders are always a part of our policies and programmes. Perhaps, I think people might not know what role they have to play when a programme was newly introduced.”

    Earlier, State Commissioner for Housing, Bosun Jeje, said criteria would be worked out on the modality of applying for the scheme.

    Chairman of the Lagos State National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, praised the government’s gesture.

    He confirmed that average commercial drivers make between N70,000 to N45,000 monthly, adding that members will be inform and educated on how best to benefit from the scheme.

     

     

  • Lagosians urge govt to reduce cost of LagosHOMS

    Lagosians urge govt to reduce cost of LagosHOMS

    An appeal has gone to the Lagos State government to review the cost of acquiring houses under the Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LagosHOMS). Lagosians who converge every month on the draw centres to witness the emergence of winners, though applauded the government’s initiative, expressed reservations on the cost.

    An artisan, Babatunde Sogunwa, said he would have loved to participate in the scheme, but lamented that his chances of raising the initial 30 per cent  down payment, remained a daunting challenge.

    A trader, Monsurat Alimi, said much as she desires to own a home in the state, her current financial situation does not guarantee that she would ever be one. She had hoped that the initiative would afford her the opportunity to own a home.

    She said with the cost of acquiring a home under the initiative,  that hope seemed to have been dashed for now.

    Sogunwa and Alimi’s views fairly represent the yearning of majority of the people desiring to benefit from the LagosHoms.

    Under the scheme,  a room and parlour apartment of 60.22  metre square (m2) in Michael Otedola Estate, Odoragunshi, Ikorodu, goes for N4.34 million. For a one bedroom apartment of same size, ranging from type one to type three, sells for between N4.1 million and N9.91million.

    Again, the prices of the homes are determined by their location. Thus,  in locations such as  Shitta, Surulere, this type of apartment goes for N8.25 million. A two-bedroom apartment of type-one to type-four, costs between N6.22 million and N18.61 million.

    The three-bedroom flat category has the widest range of six types, with a price bracket of N14.5 million and N32.53 million, while a terrace three bedroom sells for N8.77 million.

    But against the strident calls for a reduction in the cost of the buildings,  a building consultant, Sunday Ajetunmbi, has called for caution. He said a lot of other costs go into building a house that are unknown to people.

    He said: “You have to consider the cost of the land the building is standing on, you also have to consider the location of the building. More importantly, the scheme is powered by a mortgage system; so we should understand that some people put their money down for the comfort of others.”

    Ajetunmbi added that the stress of land speculators otherwise known as omo onile is taken off the necks of winners under the scheme.

    Lagos State Governor,  Babatunde Fashola (SAN), had at one of the draws, restated his administration’s  commitment to the provision of affordable housing  in a sustainable way to Lagosians. He said criticisms that the cost of the houses are too high should not arise because his administration never promisesd to deliver low-cost housing but affordable housing whereby owners could pay over a long period of time.

    The Governor explained that low-cost housing could not be provided in a sustainable way when there is no low-cost land, low–cost labour and low building materials, even in the face of  declining value of the naira.

    “Some people have criticised us that homes under our mortgage scheme are not low-cost but these people cannot point to one place where our government promised to build low cost houses.

    “We did not promise low-cost housing. What we promised was affordable housing and people should not accuse us of not doing what we did not promise. I have always reiterated since I was campaigning as a governorship candidate in 2007 that my commitment to the people of Lagos is affordable housing and that is what we are delivering,” he had said.

    Fashola had also said his administration had approved and released additional N2 billon to  contractors under the scheme. Fashola, who expressed satisfaction with the success recorded so far in the scheme, said the release of the money is to mobilise more contractors to site so that more houses could be delivered to more people. “The LagosHoms delivers 200 homes monthly; we can do more than this figure considering the number of people that have shown interest. So I urge our contractors to try and speed up construction, but without compromising quality and standard in the construction,” he said.

    So far, 235 home owners have emerged under the scheme since the monthly draws began last March.