Cuba extends housing legalization and regulation process

 HAVANA, Cuba, May 27 (ACN) By agreement of the Council of Ministers until December 31, 2025, the deadline for the application of the process of ordering and legalization of houses, rooms, living spaces, accessories and premises has been extended.

Since Friday 23rd, the Extraordinary Official Gazette number 26 published this measure, already in force, and which benefits many Cubans by turning into owners those who occupy any of those properties, even now with fewer procedures and delays.

At a press conference Marvelis Velazquez Reyes, director of Housing Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Construction (Micons), recalled that an agreement for that purpose had been in force since May 2019, but that the spread of COVID-19 prevented not a few people from making the corresponding applications.

Now, when updated, it facilitates and promotes the legalization of those properties without any status or that do not comply with the formalities established in their construction, as long as they do not violate the territorial and urban planning regulations, the specialist clarified.

In this way, people will be able to continue presenting their applications before the municipal directorates of Housing or Territorial Planning and Urbanism, in order to obtain the property as it gives them the right to use, enjoy and dispose of the property, she emphasized.

Velazquez Reyes pointed out that permanent tenants of State housing may benefit from the new regulation, except for those who have it confiscated due to legal sanctions for acts of illicit enrichment, drugs, corruption and other acts, and due to criminal sentences.

Also, the usufructuaries and occupants of rooms, living spaces or accessories converted into adequate housing, or that can be converted into adequate housing, as well as housing and premises finished or being executed by the State, without complying with the legal formalities, have the right to request ownership of the property.

She informed that occupants of rural and urban dwellings are included in the process, and that attention is provided to people with disabilities, pregnant women and senior citizens.

The specialist clarified that the more than 19,000 cases in any of the phases of the previous process will receive in due time the response from the municipal Housing Directorates.