Affordable housing has emerged as a central issue in the 2025 election, with The Caymanian Community Party, the Cayman Islands National Party and the People’s Progressive Movement each putting forward distinct proposals aimed at easing the housing crisis and promoting homeownership for Caymanians.
The TCCP manifesto sets out the most expansive housing platform of the three, centred on reviving and reforming existing government schemes and modifying planning laws to encourage diverse and affordable housing stock. Notably, the party pledges to reintroduce the Government Guaranteed Home Assisted Mortgage programme, expand the National Housing Development Trust’s output, and introduce lease-to-own options for housing units
TCCP also proposes increasing building heights, allowing smaller lot sizes, and restricting the sale of certain lower-value properties to Caymanians only, while offering incentives for low- and middle-income housing development. On the rental side, it commits to introducing a standard lease agreement, regulating minimum housing standards and encouraging the development of auxiliary rental units on residential properties
The CINP adopts a similarly interventionist approach, but with sharper emphasis on limiting foreign ownership and speculative investment. Its proposals include issuing government bonds to support fixed-rate mortgage financing, restricting land banking by non-residents, and reducing permanent residency grants to ease Caymanian competition for property. Additionally, the party supports incentivising private investment in affordable housing, streamlining planning approvals, and creating a short-term rental registry to limit concentrations of tourist accommodations in residential areas.
Meanwhile, the PPM proposes a set of reforms that build on past initiatives. It promises to revamp the Government Guaranteed Home Assisted Mortgage programme scheme, expand the National Housing Development Trust and support build-on-your-own-property initiatives. It also pledges to work with developers on shared ownership options, including rent-to-own programmes, and introduces a ‘key worker’ housing guarantee for Caymanians in teaching and healthcare roles
The PPM also places emphasis on freeing up under-occupied homes through the development of retirement communities, and exploring social landlord partnerships with the private sector to boost the affordable rental supply
Despite overlapping goals such as increasing National Housing Development Trust construction and facilitating homeownership for Caymanians, key differences emerge in how the parties address foreign ownership and market regulation. TCCP and CINP both advocate for regulatory restrictions — TCCP by limiting land and property sales to Caymanians, CINP by curbing permanent residency grants and speculative property investment. The PPM, while supportive of Caymanian ownership, focuses more on expanding supply through collaboration rather than restriction.
All three parties frame housing as a critical component of cost-of-living relief and economic equity. But with diverging philosophies — TCCP’s structural reform, CINP’s slightly more protectionist stance and PPM’s policy refinement — voters face a clear choice in which vision will shape Cayman’s future housing landscape.
