Private properties in risk, therefore authorities cannot take action
“Fourteen houses in Queretaro’s historic downtown area are in complete abandonment and have been closed due to the risk of collapse”, informed the delegate of the historic downtown area, Octavio Mata Rivera.
“We have foreclosed them due to safety concerns after the department responsible has declared the risk”, said the delegate after pointing out the imminent risk of collapse.
There are over 60 abandoned houses in Queretaro’s downtown area
The rainy season is here and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), together with authorities are working together in developing a project to attend this matter.
“ We’ve developed a program, with help from INAH so that we can intervene in all of these houses, we’ve yet to determine the exact number, but it is something that we are working on side by side with the INAH”, he said.
Since these are private properties, local authorities cannot rehabilitate them, but it is possible to take necessary actions in order to make them safe and avoid any risks.
“We don’t rehabilitate, we will close them for safety concerns, this is a project led by INAH, in case the owners want to remodel the structures”, the official pointed out.
It was informed that so far, there are 54 buildings under the same conditions, all abandoned in the historic downtown area. The department’s interest is to avoid incidents and approach the owners in order to promote rehabilitation of the properties.
“Many houses need to be fixed, but such projects are taken directly by INAH, not by the municipal government. What we worry about is that these buildings could be used unlawfully and the owners need to do something about it”, Octavio Mata Rivera concluded.
San Miguel Times
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