SANTO DOMINGO. – Four years and two months after the enactment of Law 160-21, which created the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (Mivhed), the Executive Branch seeks to modify some of its contents, arguing that it aims to strengthen its efficiency, especially by providing an instrument that offers greater safety guarantees in Dominican buildings.
Carlos Bonilla, head of the government entity, submitted the document with the proposed amendments to the Senate of the Republic yesterday, Wednesday, noting that the proposed changes include the implementation of new enabling titles that strengthen the regulatory framework, as well as a significant expansion of inspection powers to guarantee regulatory compliance.
“This bill that amends the law creating the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MIVHED) has several relevant and very important elements that the public should be aware of. Number one, it is a certificate of occupancy, which, depending on the number of people and the complexity of the building's structure, will have to be renewed periodically,” the official stated.
He added that this will allow the Ministry, through various mechanisms, to reliably verify that the building is not in danger when the certificate is renewed.
Bonilla argued that the proposed adjustments seek to strengthen the capabilities of non-punitive administrative action, allowing for more effective regulatory measures.
The initiative also seeks to optimize the sanctioning procedure by expanding the catalog of infractions and sanctions, while reorganizing the exercise of regulatory power, fostering more effective collaboration in this area, according to the official.
For his part, Senate President Ricardo de los Santos stated that “regarding the issue of inspections or decades, there was a kind of gap. Therefore, the proposed amendment seeks to fill that gap so that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MIVHED) will have the necessary tools to modify, supervise, and take corrective action in all those buildings, to ensure safety.”.
The law that creates the Ministry of Housing aims to establish the policies,
principles, programs, planning, strategies and instruments regarding
housing, habitat, dignified human settlements, the construction of
buildings of the Dominican State, as well as the facilities that are
necessary for the general interest of the nation.
