Business
JAM | Jun 23, 2024

Entrepreneurial Partners signs MOU with Blue Mahoe Capital to deliver 1,400 affordable housing units

/ Our Today

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(seated, l-r) Audrey Budhi, corporate relations strategist, Entrepreneurial Partners (EP), David Mullings, founder & CEO, Blue Mahoe Capital and Garfield Daley, founder & chairman, EP, sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide 1,400 affordable housing units by the early-mid year 2025. Looking on are (standing from left) Simone Walker, marketing consultant and John-Mark Daley, director, EP. (Photo: Contributed)

Entrepreneurial Partners (EP) and Blue Mahoe Capital have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to provide 1,400 affordable housing units to the Jamaican market.

Propelled by a mixture of funding from private investors and Blue Mahoe Capital’s recently launched Blue Mahoe Capital’s SEC-qualified offering in the US, the collaboration will combine Blue Mahoe’s financing and investment expertise with that of Entrepreneurial Partners in real estate development.

“Blue Mahoe Capital wants to make it easy for overseas investors to get access to investments in the Caribbean,” David Mullings, founder and CEO of Blue Mahoe, stated.

“In fact, we are currently focused on delivering 700 homes in Old Harbour with another local partner,” he continued.

Mullings had invited local players in the real estate development space to seek funding through Blue Mahoe Capital, which led EP founder and chairman Garfield Daley to reach out. In doing so, the businessmen forged a partnership that culminated in the recent signing of the MOU.

(front) David Mullings (left), founder and CEO of Blue Mahoe Capital, shakes the hand of Garfield Daley, founder and chairman of Entrepreneurial Partners (EP), following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will see EP construct 1,400 affordable housing units across Jamaica. Sharing in the occasion are (back, l-r) John-Mark Daley, Director of EP, Audery Budhi, corporate relations strategist of EP, and Simone Walker, marketing consultant. (Photo: Contributed)

So far, both companies have earmarked locations in the parishes of St. Thomas and St. Catherine to break ground for the construction of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units in gated communities.

EP is now awaiting approvals from the municipal corporations, and Daley is optimistic that construction will begin in early to mid-year 2025. 

“There is a demand in the market for affordable housing solutions, and we are committed to supplying solutions that cater to the needs of Jamaicans, locally and from the Diaspora, who now face challenges in affording a home. We have signed an MOU to work closely with Blue Mahoe Capital in a strategic partnership to secure financing to execute a number of projects across Jamaica. If all goes well, we will expand across the Caribbean. This partnership also increases our ability to fast-track the delivery of affordable homes to the market, targeting new homeowners to a large extent,” exclaimed Daley.  

While over 70,000 Jamaicans qualify for National Housing Trust (NHT) benefits, many are still unable to afford to purchase a home, even when combining their accessible loan limits of J$7.5 million to J$15 million.

A finsihed home in the NHT’s Sandhill Vista housing development programme in Hellshire, St. Catherine. (Photo: nht.gov.jm)

Recently constructed housing units have been priced at approximately J$40 million, making it prohibitive for working-class Jamaicans to acquire this highly desired asset. 

For this reason, Daley refers to the MOU signed between EP and Blue Mahoe Capital as a “strategic synergy,” as his company understands the real estate market, its segments, and demographics and can provide the expertise. 

Simone Walker (back, left), marketing consultant, directs the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between David Mullings (front, centre), founder & CEO of Blue Mahoe Capital and Garfield Daley (front, right), founder & chairman, Entrepreneurial Partners (EP) to construct 1,400 affordable housing units across Jamaica. Joining in the occasion are Audrey Budhi (front, left), corporate relations strategist, EP, and John-Mark Daley (back, right), director, EP. (Photo: Contributed)

However, he admits that his company has faced challenges in accessing financing to kick-start projects. “This strategic alliance has come at an opportune time for us, and we believe that with the developments taking place in Jamaica, we will be able to make an attractive offer to the market,” said Daley.

The project is estimated to cost between J$5 billion and J$7.5 billion.

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