Residents of the Belvedere towers were terribly affected by Hurricane Irma in 2017.
BELVEDERE--St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) is requesting “patience and understanding” from its tenants living in the Belvedere towers, most of whom are facing another hurricane season without repairs to their homes caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017.
SMHDF’s appeal comes at the start of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began on Monday, June 1. Forecasters are predicting an above-normal hurricane season this year.
“SMHDF is warning tenants to take the forecasts seriously and to begin hurricane protection preparations from now,” said the foundation in a press release on Tuesday.
SMHDF said it provides hurricane awareness information to its tenants every year. “This year tenants need to be more than just aware – they must also take whatever actions are necessary, not only should a hurricane strike but also once the hurricane has passed,” said the foundation.
SMHDF Director Helen Salomons said the destruction left by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 is still being felt by tenants in the Belvedere towers, who are “understandably very disappointed that repairs have not been started more than two years later, and now with another hurricane season to live through.”
While some repair work has been done on other SMHDF properties, the towers have “literally hit a brick wall as far as getting the works started,” said Salomons.
“We are extremely disappointed ourselves that we have not been able to speed up the process after having to deal with some major roadblocks, including financial constraints and a halt on assessment of the properties because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We understand that tenants will be nervous and anxious and will want to know at what stage we are with the repairs, because many of them are living in temporarily patched-up homes that will definitely not withstand a heavy rainstorm, much less a major hurricane.
“We are urging everyone to assist us and to assist themselves by boarding up when they have to and not waiting for any help that might not come,” she said.
Salomons said several tenants in the Belvedere towers have had their rent waived because of the poor condition of the buildings, and those who have been paying rent are being refunded.
“Some tenants are not taking the refunded rent because they do not want to move, but we have to prepare them for a move from the buildings once all the preparatory works are completed and the jobs are put out to bid.
“The tenants remain reluctant to move into alternative housing and hotel rooms because they fear they will not have the accommodation deal they presently have, but the reality of the situation is that the residents of the towers will have to vacate the properties or else we will be in breach of the contracts for the reconstruction works to go ahead,” she said.
Salomons said no date has been set for the repair works to begin.
“It is better that tenants are sensitised to a pending move and can be housed elsewhere should places become available, so that as soon as the funds are secured and work can begin, the apartments will be vacated and ready for the works to begin.
“As soon as the shutdown was lifted in May, we immediately picked up where we left off by asking for an update from the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB), which is responsible for the financing and project management part of the repairs,” she said.
According to her, the NRPB is “finalising approvals of the designs for the renovated buildings.”
“Once approval is granted, work can begin on the tender documents to put the works out to bid. This is expected within short,” said Salomons.
