News
ISU Strengthens Foundation for Addressing Informal Settlements in 2025
Turks and Caicos, May 5, 2026 – The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) is now better positioned to advance a more targeted and coordinated response to informal settlements across the Turks and Caicos Islands, supported by key findings and progress outlined in its 2025 Annual Report.
Building on foundational work undertaken since its establishment in 2023, the Unit has significantly strengthened its data collection,
Central to this progress has been the expansion of the ISU’s data-driven initiatives. Through the continued rollout of the Social Needs Assessment Survey, the Unit has advanced the collection of critical socio-economic data to better understand the conditions, needs, and characteristics of informal settlement communities. By year’s end in 2025, the ISU would have completed data collection in twelve sites, and commenced collection in a further fifteen, supporting the development of a growing evidence base to inform policy, planning, and service delivery.
This work has been complemented by significant advancements in GIS mapping, which remains a core pillar of the Unit’s operations. The ISU has now completed the first full cycle of mapping across all fifty-one identified informal settlement sites nationwide, establishing an official baseline of settlement locations, structure counts, and land occupation footprints. A second cycle of mapping is also underway, with thirty sites already remapped to support comparative analysis and ongoing monitoring. In total, the mapping programme has identified 6,065 structures across these sites, providing critical spatial intelligence to guide both enforcement and long-term planning efforts.
At the operational level, monitoring and containment activities have continued to scale through coordinated action with the Crown Land Unit and Planning Department. Enforcement efforts have resulted in the removal of 495 illegal structures in 2025 alone, bringing the total number of structures removed since the Unit’s inception in 2023 to 830. These actions have contributed to the reclamation of approximately 44.6 acres of land and reflect a sustained and structured approach to addressing unauthorised occupation.
In parallel, the ISU has continued to advance preparatory work to support long-term solutions. This includes progress in housing and urban
development planning through site analyses and conceptual designs, as well as ongoing legal and policy development. Key outputs include draft legislative advice for the development of tenure regularization frameworks, and support for infrastructure regularization planning.
Public education, stakeholder engagement, and community outreach remained central to the Unit’s approach in 2025. Key initiatives included the rollout of the ISU Youth Outreach Programme, as well as expanded engagement across informal settlement communities through Community Caravans in North Stubbs Creek Point and Silverado Wells in Providenciales and at the Parade Grounds in Grand Turk. The Unit also executed its inaugural Holiday Cheer Caravan, distributing toys and treat bags to children across seven informal settlement sites in the Five Cays and Blue Hills areas. Together with strengthened stakeholder relationships, these efforts supported greater awareness of the ISU’s mandate and fostered collaboration across sectors.
The progress captured in the 2025 Annual Report reflects a critical phase in the ISU’s development, marked by the establishment of strong data systems, expanded operational reach, and closer alignment between analysis, enforcement, and policy. This foundation is expected to support a gradual transition toward more targeted, evidence-based interventions as the Unit continues its work throughout 2026.
Photo Caption: Insert: La Torture Reclamation