By Gissel Taveras
elinmobiliariodo@gmail.com
SANTO DOMINGO.- Barefoot children playing ball, business owners tending to their shops, young people on a corner listening to music and smoking hookah, gentlemen playing dominoes, people in the parks, in short, an ordinary afternoon in the La Nueva Barquita sector of Sabana Perdida in Santo Domingo.
During a visit made by El Inmobiliario 8 years after its delivery, the cleanliness and organization of the place can be observed.
The problem with similar projects has been the discontinuity in their management, which causes the infrastructure to deteriorate in a short time.
To address this problem, a community territorial management structure was designed: the La Nueva Barquita Foundation, led by Father Gregorio Alegría, who manages the infrastructure in order to guarantee the physical, social and economic sustainability of the project.
The plan aims to protect the family's assets in La Nueva Barquita by establishing a loan agreement: after 10 years, the housing units will become family property. Therefore, these homes cannot be sold, destroyed, or sublet.
Contrary to this rule, 148 apartments have been sold to date.
It is inexplicable to many that they went from living on the banks of the Ozama River, with various hardships such as floods, houses built with ash, to comfortable 3-bedroom apartments, with balcony, living room, kitchen, laundry area, pantry, closet and bathroom.
What are the possible reasons why some owners have decided to sell?
“Most of those who have sold have been people with some vice, or some financial problem; a person in their right mind doesn’t do that,” says María Rodríguez, a resident of the area.
While Rosalba Ramírez, who owns a small household goods business, believes these are sporadic cases and do not represent a majority.
“Everywhere you go you’ll find people who have never had anything and when they have it they don’t know how to manage it, they don’t know the value of things, that’s why they sell,” he says.
He also says that those who buy without a title are not buying with a guarantee, “we haven’t been given the titles, and there are apartments that are 30 years old and the Government gives them, they still haven’t received any paperwork, imagine us who only have 8 years,” he points out.
He states that the housing units have no problems, neither leaks nor construction defects, and that the owner is responsible for the maintenance of his home.
“The Board of Trustees is also for that purpose; you pay a monthly fee of 1,000 pesos, and when you have a problem, they help you solve it, and despite all that, there are many who have never paid and nothing happens.”.
Another resident named Miguel de la Rosa, who owns a small grocery store, explains that those who want to improve themselves will do so at any opportunity.
"Here they give you opportunities, you can rent a small space, and start any business.".
He assured that the prices will depend on the size of the premises; small ones cost 3,000 pesos, medium ones 4,000 pesos, and large ones 6,000 pesos. All are managed by the Board of Trustees.
Julio Ortiz, who was playing dominoes with some friends, says that one of the reasons could be crime and noise.
Residents say there are opportunities for advancement in La Nueva Barquita. (Gissel Taveras/El Inmobiliario).
"Here, you can't turn off a radio and there's a lot of noise. From dawn until 3:00 AM you hear that music, and you call the prosecutor's office and they do nothing.".
“The thing is, all kinds of people came here, serious people but also criminals,” he adds.
He also opined that the Board of Trustees of La Nueva Barquita is doing an excellent job so far.
How was the relocation process?
From La Ciénaga, Los Guandules and part of La Vieja Barquita on the banks of the Ozama River, 1,782 families (more than 6,000 inhabitants) were moved to the La Nueva Barquita housing project.
The process for the redevelopment was an integral part of a sustainability plan for the management of the Ozama River that linked several municipalities in Greater Santo Domingo.
The project was conceived as an initial pilot experience for comprehensive urban actions framed within the rescue of environmentally damaged riverine areas throughout the Dominican territory; likewise, the legal influence of this process had a national scope since it promoted new figures in national legislation such as the municipal register and the neighborhood law.
According to the Executive Unit for the Redevelopment of La Barquita and Surroundings (URBE), throughout the process, a specialized team was responsible for keeping the registry updated, so that it has the necessary information for decision-making in the different steps of the project.
Each activity, before becoming widespread for all families, had to pass a pilot experience, which was communicated and validated with the entire team, specifying protocols, content, tools specific to each process, times and subsequent measurement method.
Moving and assistance
A ceremony was held in the presence of a notary public in which the photographic register (with the data and photos of the families to be relocated) was presented, in order to validate with the community leaders the compliance with the established criteria.
The relocation was planned in a comprehensive manner with the different institutions (electricity company, transport, etc.) to guarantee the necessary safety and fluidity.
The apartments were previously assigned by number, so each family knew the location of their home.
In Nueva Barquita there is a system of coexistence based on good habits and values.
According to URBE, this basic content was reinforced during its execution and by the physical construction milestones of the project: characterization of housing units, land uses, infrastructure, public spaces and aspects that define urban planning.
Objectives of the board of trustees
According to the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency, the Board of Trustees of Nueva Barquita has the following objectives:
a) Draft and manage the contracts for the right of use of residential apartments.
b) Draft and manage the rental agreements for commercial premises.
c) Manage the register and maintain up-to-date statistics that serve as an administrative instrument, as well as suitable planning mechanisms aimed at guaranteeing the necessary physical conditions and citizen coexistence.
d) To ensure the proper functioning and preservation of the project and its surroundings.
e) Analyze the problems that affect the project and make decisions about them or go to the appropriate authorities.
f) Guarantee the proper use of the properties and the maintenance of what has been built.
In La Nueva Barquita you can find all kinds of establishments and businesses, including a People's Pharmacy, a children's center, INAIPI (National Institute for Comprehensive Early Childhood Care), a secondary school, a Community Technology Center (CTC), churches, parks with exercise areas, barbershops, beauty salons, a prosecutor's office, hardware stores, food stores, household goods stores, clothing and cell phone accessory stores, as well as stores selling alcoholic beverages and small grocery stores.
