ROOFS – In response to the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) implemented targeted recovery initiatives. Among these is the Shelter Recovery Programme, which includes the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) Programme.
The ROOFS programme provides financial assistance to rebuild homes that were damaged by the hurricane and assessed through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS).
ROOFS Financial Assistance
The ROOFS Programme has received an allocation of $10 billion to support affected households across the island. Grants are issued based on the level of damage sustained by the home following the disaster. The levels are listed below.
- Minor Damage – $75,000. This is a rehabilitation grant that may be used for various recovery-related expenses.
- Major Damage – $200,000. Of this amount, $75,000 may be used for miscellaneous recovery-related expenses, while the remaining $125,000 is restricted to the purchase of building materials for repairing the home only.
- Severe Damage – $500,000. Recipients may use $75,000 for miscellaneous recovery-related expenses, while the remaining $425,000 must be used only for rebuilding or repairing the home.
Residents who were impacted, but have not yet been contacted, are encouraged to make a self-report to the nearest MLSS parish office to ensure they are considered for assistance.
Notification and Redemption
| Type of Assistance | Minor Damage | Major Damage | Severe Damage |
| Cash | √ | √ | √ |
| QR Code for use at selected hardware stores | √ | √ |
A valid Government-issued photo ID is required for redemption.
Assessment Update
For ROOFS assistance status updates persons are encouraged to contact the nearest MLSS Approved parish office, the dedicated contact centre 876-922-8000-13, WhatsApp 876-582-8972 / 876-849-8614 or email mlsshurricanemelissa@mlss.gov.jm.
$366m in Grants for Hurricane-affected Trelawny Families Under ROOFS Programme
Grants totalling more than $366 million are being disbursed to hurricane-affected households in Trelawny under the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) Programme, being spearheaded by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security as part of the national recovery effort following Hurricane Melissa.
Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., made the announcement during the Trelawny leg of the programme’s handover ceremony, held at Abundant Life Ministries Church in Bounty Hall on March 11. He informed residents that the funding will assist hundreds of households whose homes were damaged during the powerful hurricane that struck the island last year.
The Minister reiterated that the initiative is part of a broader $10 billion disaster recovery allocation approved by the Government to support families whose homes were impacted by the storm. “Of that amount, we have been able, as of [March 11], to distribute… $5.2 billion to persons across the various parishes and the entire country,” Mr. Charles informed.
The Minister outlined that the programme is being implemented as part of a phased recovery effort, prioritising assistance for families most severely affected by the disaster.
He further explained that the initiative is designed to ensure support reaches those who need it most, with particular focus on vulnerable groups within affected communities.
“We try to identify our pensioners, our senior citizens… persons with disabilities who don’t have any support, and the single mothers who need our help as well,” he underscored. Mr. Charles further emphasised that Jamaica’s recovery from Hurricane Melissa is being driven by strong collaboration between the Government and citizens.
For his part, State Minister, Hon. Donovan Williams, commended the Ministry’s teams for their dedicated work across communities to identify affected families and implement the programme.
“The social workers, field officers and administrative staff… did the difficult work of ensuring that the right families were identified and that no one was overlooked,” he stated. The ROOFS Programme provides grants to homeowners to assist with repairs to hurricane-damaged dwellings, forming a key component of the Government’s wider Shelter Recovery Programme.
For additional information, contact:
Ministry of Labour and Social Security
Address: 14 National Heroes Circle, Kingston 4
Telephone: 876-922-8000-13
Email: clientcare@mlss.gov.jm
Website: https://www.mlss.gov.jm
Facebook/Instagram: @mlssjamaica
X: @JamaicaMlss
Source: Rebuilding with ROOFS as published on the Jamaica Information Service website.
