Administrative Delays Due to Missing Documents: Shenaz Searching for Housing for Nearly 30 Years

Title: Administrative Delays Due to Missing Documents: Shenaz Searching for Housing for Nearly 30 Years

Content: For nearly 30 years, Shenaz, now 56 years old, has been waiting for a glimmer of hope regarding her housing application with the National Housing Development Co Ltd (NHDC).

This mother, who has recently become a widow, recounts a journey marked by patience, resilience, and now, distress.

"My husband and I made our first application to the NHDC around 1995. We were still young and hoped to one day have our own house. Thirty years have passed, and we remain tenants," she confesses, her voice filled with emotion.

Today, her situation has become even more difficult. The landlord of the house she was renting has sold the property, and the new owner has issued her a notice to vacate the premises.

"The new owner doesn’t even want to accept the rent money. My husband recently passed away due to all this stress, and now I don’t know where to go," adds Shenaz, who currently resides in Roche-Bois.

An Old but Complex Case

When contacted for details on the Explik Ou Ka show on Radio Plus, Yannick Damoo, head of the customer service center at the NHDC, confirmed that Shenaz's file dates back to 1995.

"She has been called in several times, notably in 2000, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2024, and even this year. Each time, there were follow-ups. For example, in 2006, she and her husband were unable to repay, and the submitted documents were incomplete," he explains.

According to him, Shenaz's case has never been rejected but has been postponed multiple times due to missing documents or changes in her financial and family situation.

"Today, she is a widow with no dependent children and in a precarious situation. Her case is therefore considered a priority. However, we need to wait for new housing projects to be completed before she can be added to the beneficiary list," adds the NHDC representative.

Between Hope and Distress

For Shenaz, these years of endless waiting have become a heavy burden. "I don’t ask for much. Just a roof to live under peacefully, without fearing that I’ll have to leave at a moment's notice. I hold on to hope, but 30 years is a very long time," she confesses, her voice trembling.

She continues to save the little she earns, hoping to one day contribute to the payment for her own home.

"No matter the area, I will take any house. I just need security, to know that I will finally have a place to call home," she concludes, her heart heavy yet still filled with hope.