The Eastern Caribbean Home Mortgage Bank (ECHMB) is mandated to ensure that the citizens of the Eastern Caribbean have access to quality and affordable housing. In that regard, ECHMB has institutionalised a Public Awareness Programme – “Home Ownership Day” Event, designed to provide information to homeowners on pertinent issues related to the proper construction and maintenance of housing, as well as the responsibilities of personal financial management and home ownership. The Event provides a forum where Stakeholders of the mortgage industry, including prospective homeowners, primary lenders, architect/planners, contractors, lawyers and the public at large, come together to discuss a wide range of topics such as: -
- obtaining credit and managing mortgage obligations;
- planning of residential home;
- the OECS Building Code and Guidelines;
- legal requirements for mortgages;
- post construction maintenance to sustain the value of homes; and
- alternative investment opportunities in the ECCU.
The Home Ownership Day Event has also focused on enabling customers to become more astute in borrowing by instilling in them the virtues of financial management to improve their creditworthiness. The Event has also provided a forum for senior policy makers from Member States to pronounce on significant policy initiatives, geared in particular to enforcing of Building Codes. To date, more than fifteen hundred (1500) participants directly benefited from the Seminars as well as thousands more who benefited indirectly through television rebroadcast of the Events by the official media network in the country where the Events were hosted.