SANTO DOMINGO – This Monday, November 17, at 3:00 p.m., the deadline expires for companies in the construction sector, affiliated with the Dominican Association of Housing Builders and Promoters (ACOPROVI), to send detailed information about their projects, which would receive “ priority attention and management” in public institutions.
In a message sent last Friday, November 14, and which El Inmobiliariohad access to, the association asks its members to send as soon as possible, the cases of projects that are pending approval before any government institution.
priority attention and management has been arranged for ACOPROVI, for all those cases of projects that are pending approval before any government institution," says the notice sent by the entity to its members.
He adds that in order to expedite the resolution of these cases, interested parties must complete and send the corresponding information "immediately," including the name of the company, representative, government institution where the file is located, if applicable; date of deposit, start of the process, name of the project and its address.
However, the Association of Housing Developers and Builders of Cibao ( APROCOVICI) and the Association of Builders of Santo Domingo East ( ACOSDE) informed El Inmobiliario that they have not received similar notifications , which raises questions about the scope and nature of the government instruction.
What the message says and what it doesn't say
The text distributed among developers states that the information must be sent before 3:00 p.m. today, Monday, November 17, via WhatsApp or email, to the designated representative of the guild.
Although the message uses emphatic language, alert colors, and a sense of urgency, it does not specify whether an official resolution exists , nor does it indicate the administrative mechanism through which the priority would be implemented. It also does not specify whether it is a formal agreement with the government, a prior technical working group, or an ongoing union initiative.
The reference to “priority attention and management towards ACOPROVI” suggests a differentiated channel for the developers of the association, while other construction entrepreneurs continue to denounce delays in permits, financing restrictions and increasing costs.
A sector in decline and under pressure
The circulation of this message comes amid a particularly delicate economic performance for the construction sector. According to the Central Bank, the sector registered a year-on-year change of -2.3% between January and June 2025 , maintaining the contractionary trend that began at the start of the year. In contrast, aggregate GDP grew 2.4% during the same period.
In 2024, construction had closed with a growth of 2.1% , one of the lowest among economic activities, and the increased cost of inputs such as steel and cement continues to be a problem pointed out by companies and associations.
ACOPROVI has publicly warned about the obstacles facing the industry, high interest rates, rising material costs and delays in procedures, while smaller associations maintain that recent growth has not generated equal opportunities , especially for medium and small-scale projects.
Official measures
Although the message attributes the instruction directly to the Presidency, the initiatives known so far from the Government have been of a general nature, not directed exclusively at ACOPROVI. Among them:
- March 2025: President Luis Abinader announced the availability of RD$3 billion for a mechanization program in agriculture and construction, financed by Bandex, with terms of up to seven years and rates from 9.5% .
- April 2025: The Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (MIVED) presented its Strategic Plan 2025-2028 , which includes the construction of 2,548 new homes , the improvement of 12,000 existing ones and the streamlining of permits through regulatory improvements.
- August 7, 2025: In a meeting with mayors, the president reported that the Executive approved RD$4 billion for the construction of sidewalks and curbs throughout the country.
These measures aim to stimulate construction activity broadly, without a preferential route for any specific trade.
