OPL unveils 2001 homestead projects

Major homestead projects are in the offing this 2001 including the possible opening of housing subdivisions on the islands of Saipan and Rota, the Office of Public Lands unveiled Friday.

OPL Administrator Bertha C. Deleon Guerrero disclosed the projects are targeted to take off following a recent reorganization within the agency that has put major public land projects temporarily on hold.

“We’ve gone through so many transitions that a lot of the concentration on our office was trying to kind get ourselves oriented first,” said the administrator.

OPL is set to commence work on the proposed Tanapag Heights and Koblerville housing projects on Saipan after the release of an ongoing environmental assessment study being performed on both sites.

Once the study is completed, OPL will begin drawing the project design and conduct surveys to determine the homestead boundaries.

“We are hoping to get this out sometime towards the end of the year. But it’s not yet confirmed. I am just hoping that nothing else will delay the process because our applicants have been patiently waiting,” said Ms. Deleon Guerrero.

In addition to the two subdivisions, OPL is also set to develop several scattered public lands across Saipan.

On Rota, Public Lands is planning to build another subdivision on the village of Dugi, on top of a few other scattered land developments on the agency’s list.

“Homestead developments take time because there are so many studies that we have to finish first before actual design can be made. After the design, we have to go and survey the lots and open up roads to reach the lottery,” she explained.

OPL is also currently working on some 129 lots to be made available to Tinian homestead applicants.

“We did not open subdivisions last year. We allotted, however, some 32 lots on Rota which were left overs from earlier lottery that was developed some time ago. But as far as major subdivisions are concerned, we haven’t done any for 2000,” Ms. Deleon Guerrero explained.

Part of the Public Lands’ fundamental responsibility is to make available some portion of the public lands for a homestead program. Upon approval by the Board of Public Lands, a person shall receive a freehold interest in a homestead that the person has met or complied with all the requirements, terms and conditions of the homestead permit.

In the case of a village homestead, a person shall receive a freehold interest in the homestead upon approval by BPL when a habitable dwelling has been constructed on the homestead.

According to OPL policies, a person may not transfer a freehold interest in a homestead for 10 years after receipt except that these requirements are waived for persons who have established a continuous use of public lands for at least 15 years as of the effective date of the Constitution.