The Housing Authority (the Authority), in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing, successfully conducted a Barrel Draw for the Ministry of Housing’s First Home Ownership Initiative (FHOI) Category 1 Tier 1 Assistance Programme on Monday, 22 June 2026, at the Housing Authority’s Headquarters in Valelevu.

Present at the event were the Permanent Secretary for Housing, the Director of Housing and representatives from the Ministry of Housing, the Fiji Police Force, and the staff of the Housing Authority.

This marks a historic milestone, as it is the first time a Barrel Draw has been conducted specifically for qualified applicants from informal settlements affected by eviction notices.

In December 2024, the Ministry of Housing received reports of evictions affecting households residing in the Veidogo, Nabua Muslim League and Kilikali informal settlements in Suva. These settlements, situated on freehold land, had experienced insecurity of tenure following notices issued by landowners.

In response, the Ministry conducted socio-economic surveys to determine the number of affected households, assess their financial capabilities and identify relocation preferences. The surveys confirmed that 148 households in Veidogo, 415 households in Nabua Muslim League and 72 households in Kilikali had been issued eviction notices.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Mr Manasa Lesuma said that findings from the surveys revealed that while many affected households preferred relocation to Greenfield sites under the Ministry’s Informal Settlement Upgrade Programme (ISUP), there was also a category of families with the financial capacity to own homes but who had not previously been given the opportunity to do so.

“As a result, the Government revised the First Home Ownership Initiative Grant Policy under the 2025/2026 National Budget, leading to the development of the Informal Settlement Evicted Household’s Relocation and Resettlement Policy, which was endorsed by Cabinet on 19 May 2026.

“Under the revised framework, Category 1 Tier 1 assistance was introduced to support households earning a combined annual income of up to $30,000.

“Through the partnership between the Ministry of Housing and Housing Authority, 15 residential lots were made available under the initiative, comprising six lots in Mokosoi and nine lots in Wainibuku,” PS Lesuma said.

Under Category 1 Tier 1 assistance:

• A grant of $40,000 is provided for first home construction; and
• A grant of $30,000 is provided for first home purchase.

Following consultations with affected households over a three-week period, the Ministry received 111 applications, comprising 93 from Nabua Muslim League, 10 from Kilikali and eight (8) from Veidogo.

With the support of the Housing Authority, all applications were assessed for home loan eligibility. A committee made up of staff of Housing Authority with oversight provided by officers of the Ministry of Housing, found that 56 applicants were eligible, comprising 44 from Nabua, six (6) from Kilikali and six(6) from Veidogo.

Following the screening, selection and objections processes, there were 29 applicants that had met the necessary loan eligibility requirements and submitted all required documentation. There were 24 applicants from Nabua, three (3) from Kilikali and two (2) from Veidogo.

Of the 29 applicants that made it to the Barrel Draw, there were 27 that qualified for the nine (9) lots available in Wainibuku, while two (2) families qualified for the six (6) available lots in Mokosoi.

Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Authority, Mr Isikeli Navuda, said the initiative represented a significant step towards providing secure and affordable homeownership opportunities to families previously affected by displacement.

Mr Navuda acknowledged the leadership of the Ministry of Housing, the support of the Fiji Police Force and the efforts of Housing Authority staff in ensuring that the entire process from screening and objection phases to the preparation of the barrels was conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

The FHOI Category 1 Tier 1 Assistance Programme is the first initiative of its kind in Fiji and reflects the Government’s commitment to providing sustainable housing solutions and improving the quality of life for vulnerable communities.

The successful applicants selected through the Barrel Draw will now proceed to the next phase of the homeownership process.