Long-serving tenants of National Housing Corporation (NHC) units deserve better treatment while they await ownership of their homes, Deputy Speaker Neil Rowe told the House of Assembly on Tuesday.

While strongly supporting the State Acquisition and Vesting of Property Number 2 Bill , which would transfer ownership of 224 state-built houses to long-term tenants, the MP for St. Michael North West criticised the NHC over what he described as poor maintenance of properties in his constituency, despite tenants continuing to pay rent.

“For many of my constituents, this bill is life-changing,” he said, noting that some families had lived in NHC terrace units for 20, 23, 27 and even 30 years.