The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A SINGLE mother had her newly acquired property in Nassau Village demolished without notice — the result of a government-led initiative targeting abandoned buildings.

Housing and Urban Renewal Minister Keith Bell said that the matter will be addressed to the woman’s satisfaction.

Shcara Forbes, 34, said she purchased the distressed Fourth Street property through the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation in June 2023, after three years of failed attempts. She planned to renovate the home gradually while living nearby with her two children.

 Ms Forbes said she had tried unsuccessfully to purchase the property three times over the course of three years. After being denied twice, she prayed for guidance, ultimately trusting that if it was meant to be, the opportunity would come.

 She said she received a call around 11am on February 28 from a relative, urging her to come to the property. When she arrived and saw the structure had been demolished, she was devastated, describing the moment as overwhelming and emotionally paralyzing.

 The demolition took place shortly after the expansion of the Clear, Hold, Build initiative into Nassau Village — a programme launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal to remove derelict vehicles and buildings believed to be linked to criminal activity. The initiative had been piloted previously in the Englerston constituency.

 Mr Bell said community members identified the structure as derelict and a potential security risk.

 Mr Bell explained that when a property is flagged, efforts are made to identify its owner. He said residents in the area had described the structure as derelict and problematic for years. While he stopped short of drawing conclusions, he said he was satisfied that the officers involved acted in the community’s best interest to eliminate what they believed was an eyesore and potential hub for criminal activity.

 Ms Forbes said she never received any official notice and rejected the justification given to her by Urban Renewal officers on-site.

 Ms Forbes said the officer attempted to justify the demolition by referencing the Urban Renewal programme’s Clear, Hold, Build initiative, claiming the property could have been used by individuals engaged in criminal activity. She said she challenged that explanation, arguing that not every case fits that description and insisted that in her opinion the officer had failed to do proper due diligence.

 She said a senior police officer referred to a letter condemning the structure — a letter she said she never received.

 “I was so devastated,” she said. “I had my son with me. My son say, oh, mommy, they knock down your house. I was so hurt. I was hurt to the core, I cried literally. When I got home after that, oh I broke down.”

 Following media coverage of her case, Ms Forbes said the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal contacted her. She declined to share details of the discussion but confirmed that no formal agreement had been reached.

 “I would just really want the damages to be repaired, meaning that the four walls and the roof,” she said. “But I always say, sometimes the plans God has for you is much more bigger than what we even ever expected, so I am so grateful and optimistic.”

 Mr Bell said government will continue aggressively with its strategy.

 “We are not deterred,” he said. “We are going to clear the community of these derelict and abandoned buildings and we are going to try to work with property owners to rehabilitate as best as we can.”