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Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Developers want power to approve housing permits back with HLURB
By Jessica B. Natad
THE Subdivision and Housing Developers Association Inc. (SHDA) 7 is asking that the power to approve development permits for housing revert to the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) from the local government units (LGU).
The group warned that the government’s objective to accelerate the production of low-cost housing units by encouraging private sector participation in the shelter program was being jeopardized by the current set-up.
SHDA, an organization of 400 subdivision and housing developers, aims to assume the responsibility for the production of affordable housing for the homeless and the underprivileged in partnership with the government under the National Shelter Program.
But the stringent requirements imposed by the LGUs “effectively defeat the very purpose of the government,” according to a document furnished Sun.Star.
“Some LGUs impose requirements other than provided for by BP 220. The problem goes beyond arguing the issue based on the legal provision on the matter. Even if a developer will win the argument, he will still be the loser through the undue delays that a proposed project will encounter,” the statement said.
Batas Pambasa 220 authorizes the Ministry of Human Settlements to establish and promulgate different levels of standards and technical requirements for economic and socialized housing projects in the urban and rural areas.
But LGUs are also imposing additional requirements such as requiring developers to provide socialized housing units within the political boundary of the main project, requiring wider road width than that provided for by BP 220, and requiring developers to provide community services such as health centers, fire stations and police stations.
SHDA also questioned the LGUs’ process of submitting the application for development permits to the local Sanggunian, saying processing and approval of development permits is an executive, rather than a legislative, function.
(December 10, 2003 issue)
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