Gated Communities In Jamaica 
Are The Benefits Worth It?

Gated Communities In Jamaica | Drax Hall Gated Community (Photo: TripAdvisor.com)

by Sheree-Anita Shearer | Associate Writer

Gated Communities are usually the end goal in housing for many persons for many reasons, the leading being safety. Many gated communities in Jamaica have varying affordability levels, with many more popping up as the years go by.

Some of the leading potential buyers are returning residents. There are many gated communities that a marketed specifically to these persons.

When you do decide to live in a gated community, what exactly are you paying for?

• Advanced Security (the likelihood of burglaries are significantly less)
• 24-hour security monitoring
• Additional Amenities
• Denial of Entry to Non-Residents (without the permission of a resident)
• Little to No Traffic (only persons permitted to drive through the community are allowed)
• Less Noise
• No unwanted solicitors (door to door sales persons)
• More updated facilities
• Newer builds with no pressing need for maintenance
• Beautiful surroundings
• Concerns are dealt with promptly (broken lights, fallen trees, etc)

Disadvantages of Gated Communities

• Many places list a “sense of community” as an advantage of gated communities. I beg to differ. In my experience, the likelihood of me talking to my neighbours in regular communities are much higher than in a gated community.
  
  
• Gated communities are also a physical barrier between those in the upper-middle to wealthy class and their financially disadvantaged counterparts. Those within the walls of the community might be judged by those outside and vice versa. Friends and family who are not living in the same area as you might have trouble getting in at times and there may even be stipulations on the amount of time they are allowed to spend there.
  
  
• Technology is man-made and evidently will fail at some point. If you live in a technology-only entry-gated community, then there is always the possibility of not making it in or out looming over your head.
  
  
• There is not much room for individuality in gated communities. Everything, from the colour of the paint to the height of your fence, needs to be approved by the committee in most cases. Gated communities pride themselves on being of a certain look where certain colours and structures simply will not fit in.
  
  
• Delivery services might be tricky. This, I must say is not as big a problem as before as there are now structures in place to facilitate the delivery of mail, packages and other items in most gated communities.
  
  
• Some persons see gated communities as an opportunity to make additional cash through Airbnb for example. While some gated communities have fully leaned into this and have put measures in place to assist where necessary, most persons purchase within a gated community to avoid single unfamiliar faces regularly coming in and out. Others set up small home-based businesses such as bars contributing to noise in the area, another factor some people might be trying to avoid.
  
  
• They can be pretty expensive to live in. Not only are they costly to begin with, but you will then in most cases have to keep up with maintenance payments for the amenities and overall ambience to be upheld for as long as you live there.

Speaking of maintenance payments.

Some persons are not really honouring their side of the contract when it comes to maintenance payments in gated communities, and as of the time of writing, there are still no laws or legislation in place to ensure that these commitments are fulfilled.

While in most gated communities in Jamaica, the need for these fees to be honoured is understood some persons do not see the need for the payments until it is often too late and the communities look a little worse for wear.

The Prime Minister, Most Honourable Andrew Holness has mentioned in recent years that amendments are to be made to the communities Act to enforce the payment of these fees.

I cannot say whether this law will become an actuality but I can say it is definitely needed for gated communities to maintain their appeal. One poorly maintained property next to yours negatively impacts the value of your property.

Some areas, Manchester immediately comes to mind, are quite popular for returning residents. Gated communities encourage those hoping to return to Jamaica to actually do so or at the very least purchase a vacation home here.

Some Popular Gated Communities In Jamaica

• The Club at Reading Heights - Montego Bay
• Florence Hall Village - Trelawny
• Whitehouse Beach Club - Westmoreland
• Oceanpointe - Montego Bay
• Richmond Estate - St. Ann
• Gates of Edgehill - St. Mary
• Greenwich Estate - St. Ann
• Drax Hall Manor - St. Ann

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References & Sources For Gated Communities In Jamaica

1. E&C. 2022. 28 Key Pros & Cons Of Gated Communities - E&C. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 September 2022].
2. Nimbio.com. 2022. 7 Reasons Why Gated Communities Are Safer - Gate Entry System App – Nimbio. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 September 2022].
3. group. 2022. 6 advantages of living inside a gated community - group. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 September 2022].
4. Sweet Jamaica. 2022. Gated Luxury Communities in Jamaica - Sweet Jamaica. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 September 2022].

Gated Communities In Jamaica | Written: September 23, 2022

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