Permitting, One-Stop Shop and structural supervision at the heart of management.
SANTO DOMINGO.– Carlos Bonilla's tenure as head of the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (MIVHED), which concludes on January 15, was marked by union complaints, questions about delays in permitting, difficulties in the Single Window and actions that reinforced technical supervision, in a period where new administrative figures and regulatory updates were also introduced.
Since its creation in 2021 through Law 160-21, the MIVHED has assumed responsibilities related to the construction of social housing, public buildings, technical regulations, and oversight of the built environment. In this context, the institution has managed administrative, technical, and regulatory processes involving developers and sectoral entities.
As documented by El Inmobiliario , the ministry operated in an environment characterized by demands for greater traceability, inter-institutional coordination and greater agility in granting permits for the construction of works.
Union demands
The Association of Housing Builders and Promoters (ACOPROVI), the Association of Housing Promoters and Builders of Cibao (Aprocovici), the Association of Developers and Builders of Altagracia (ADECLA) and other organizations in the sector repeatedly expressed concerns related to permit approval times, noting that the times had been extended, slowing down real estate development.
“If we don't have a clear distribution of permits from the authorities, it's impossible for us to develop this area. This area has lost prestige, for example, due to the many late deliveries by numerous developers,” Daniel Cordero, director of the development company Morada, told El Inmobiliario on September 13. He stated that this situation hinders the area's progress and could damage its reputation due to the constant delays in project deliveries. He explained that one of the reasons exacerbating the delays is the lack of synchronization on digital platforms and the frequent changes in personnel responsible for the processes.
On April 23, 2024, the Association of Builders of Santo Domingo East (ACOSDE) demanded the implementation of a single window that has all the offices that process construction permits such as Environment, City Hall, Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (MIVHED), among others, in that demarcation.
Permitting and supervision
Permitting remained one of the central points on the sector's agenda, characterized by a wide range of complaints and frequent denunciations from construction entrepreneurs, who stated that the granting of permits had become a hindrance to the country's real estate development.
At a meeting held on October 16, 2025 in Punta Cana, with representatives of the sector and the Vice Minister of Standards, Regulations and Procedures of the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (MIVHED), Francisco Solimán, the following relevant topics were presented: “Issuance of construction licenses, the Single Window for Construction platform and its progress, the process of inspection of works and the new Construction Code of the Dominican Republic.”.
One-Stop Shop
The Single Window for Construction, created to centralize and standardize permitting processes, registered issues related to file updates, reliance on external verifications, and the traceability of administrative steps.
On September 15, 2023, El Inmobiliario interviewed professionals Cristian Rojas, former president of the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects, and Surveyors (CODIA), and architect Emiliano Familia, who cited numerous shortcomings of the system.
Among the deficiencies found were:
- differences in the technical criteria applied by the participating institutions,
- lack of full integration between the platforms of the organizations involved,
- variable times in document review,
- need for greater visibility into the status of the files,
- duplication of steps in some processes.
Collapses
During Carlos Bonilla's tenure as head of the Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Housing (MIVHED), three high-impact structural incidents occurred: the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub roof, the partial collapse of the Denis Commercial Plaza in Santiago, and the partial collapse of the roof under construction at the Azua Maternal and Child Hospital. These incidents prompted technical reviews and intervention by the National Office for Building Safety (ONESVIE), as well as efforts by that agency to strengthen building safety measures nationwide.
Progress
During Bonilla's administration, there were also advances or measures that strengthened the supervision of buildings, such as the Construction Code, urban managers, and the supervision of businesses built without supervision or licenses, such as Chinese-owned businesses and private works.
In an effort to reduce collapses, the institution's oversight of structural safety increased. According to data published by El Inmobiliario , more than 40 construction projects were halted or shut down in 2025 due to non-compliance with permits, licenses, and structural safety standards.
In September of that same year alone, the ministry ordered the preventative closure of 11 businesses in Greater Santo Domingo, alleging that they were operating without building permits or inspection certificates and exhibited apparent structural deficiencies. Among the closed establishments were Suplax, Plaza Hope, Central Depot, Central Point, Ming Sheng, Me Home (Nine Mall), La Rocca, Dulce Hogar, Shopping Center New World, STD Mall, and Yo Me
Building Code
In September 2025, the MIVHED presented the updated Construction Code of the Dominican Republic, a document that establishes the minimum criteria for design, structural safety, loads, materials and performance of buildings.
The update included:
- review of seismic parameters,
- adjustments in live and dead loads,
- guidelines for essential buildings,
- criteria for extensions and changes of use,
- incorporation of international reference standards.
Urban Managers
During Bonilla's administration, the figure of the Urban Manager was incorporated, created by Decree 642-22 in November 2022. The first call was made in October 2023, enabling four professionals.
In March 2025, the Mivhed swore in the country's first urban managers: Enrique Aníbal Lié and Julio César Gómez in the Southeast Region, and Arcadio Vargas and Mayerlin Minier Recio in the Cibao and South Region.
The role of Urban Managers, as established by the Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Housing (MIVHED), is to receive, review, and process building plans and permit applications, acting as a technical liaison between applicants and the public administration. Their function is to guarantee transparency, expedite processes, and ensure compliance with urban planning and construction regulations in the Dominican Republic.
