Kingston, Jamaica — 31 January 2026
Legislation now before Parliament to regulate Jamaica’s gated and shared communities could significantly alter how thousands of residential developments are managed, funded, and sustained, with direct implications for property values, community stability, and long-term housing outcomes.
The proposed Shared Communities Act seeks to establish a formal legal framework for gated communities that fall outside existing strata title arrangements. It would introduce mandatory registration, legally recognised community management bodies, and enforceable obligations on property owners to contribute to shared infrastructure and maintenance.
The move comes amid growing concern that many gated communities — particularly large subdivisions sold lot by lot — have been operating without effective governance, leaving residents to rely on informal arrangements to maintain roads, drains, security, and common spaces.
A long-standing gap in Jamaica’s housing framework
Over t…
