Iván García, Translator: CASA, Translator: CIMF
The worst of the timid reforms of General Raul Castro is amnesia. In
addition to the cynicism. All the prohibitions, whether it is
sightseeing in your own country, having a cell phone, buying a car or
now being able to sell, buy or exchange a home without the absurd
regulations promulgated by the State, were designed by the government,
where Castro II was the vice president.
There is no public apology from the government recognizing their
blunders, especially not recognizing the guilt for those mistakes that
ruled in national life for more than 50 years.
It is known that Fidel Castro, with no official opposition, drew up the
rules, even violating his own constitution. Then in 2008 the General
took the reins of power, at par, renewing the seats of power and
retiring most of the ministers loyal to his brother. He terminated the
inconsistencies, absurd violations of individual freedom, such as the
boarding schools in the countryside where the students worked in the
field, or not being able to stay in a hotel or sell your own home.
Cuba is a bizarre nation. Here, what is normal is abnormal and vice
versa. For years, a majority wondered aloud why swapping homes should
require permission from a state institution or why we have been denied
the option of selling our homes, when the title shows us as the owner of
the dwelling.
It was one of the many masks that allow the head of state to handle his
citizens as if they were puppets. Castro II is throwing down some
irrational regulations out of a pure instinct for survival.
There is still a large pile of prohibitions. From the abominable permits
Cubans must ask for in order to travel, to the fatal stubbornness
denying open access to the Internet, burdening the economic and personal
future, in addition to monopolizing information, for a country with more
than one million college graduates.
But let's go back to the point. As of November 10, 2011, you can buy a
house in Cuba.
According to the lawyer Laritza Diversent, the measure has its little
tricks. To buy or sell in 'special areas', due to the population density
in neighborhoods such as October 10, Cerro, Habana Vieja and Centro
Habana, the person must have the approval of the corrupt Institute of
Housing.
The licensed attorney, Diversent, has doubts about the new measures
actually expediting the processing of the purchase and sale of a home.
It is now mandatory to register the property in the Property Registry.
It turns out that the dilapidated legal offices do not have sufficient
staff to deal with the number of customers who are coming round the
corner. Something similar happens with the notaries, who are now
increasing their legal presence in matters regarding the acquisition of
a car or a house.
In each municipality, Havana has Notaries and Registries of Property.
But due to the shortage of staff and computers, people have to wait in
long lines from early in the morning.
Castro II attempts to lighten the bureaucratic burden suffered by
ordinary Cubans as they try to process anything. Far from achieving
this, the processing burdens are likely to increase. It is also unclear
whether residents in so-called "frozen zones", where ministers and
mandarins live or where there are public or military institutions, can
move without notice.
Despite the long lines, the paperwork, and of course the bribes that
will run under the table to get things going, Cubans welcome the
possibility of selling or buying a home.
Of course, the Real Estate stock is not very big. In Cuba, there is a
deficit, the government says, of 600,000 homes. I think we should
multiply this by three. It is common in a house to have, living together
under one roof, three different generations. Given the lack of space,
people expand their housing haphazardly.
It is very rare to see a house on the island that's retained its
original architecture. Rooms are added, sometimes endangering the
structure of the house.
Those who have money go to the store and buy New York priced ceramics,
floor tiles, sanitary ware or cement mortar. Note the record prices.
One meter of flooring costs between 12 and 27 CUC (convertible pesos).
Tiles are around the same price. A sanitaryware set, including a sink
produced in Brazil or Ecuador, costs from 150 to 200 CUC. The cement
mortar costs 6.60 CUC. Sinks, faucets (taps) and other items also cost a
good deal. To repair a house, the cost will not be less than 2,000
convertible pesos. That amounts to 48,000 national currency pesos. This
is equivalent to the salary of an engineer working for 7 years, and he
may not make even make that.
The government has removed subsidies for building materials sold in
establishments known as 'junkyards'. But because of the minimal delivery
of items, within a few hours there is no cement or steel rods for sale.
There is so much apathy and corruption, that according to the official
media, there are warehouses full of sand, blocks and other materials
that lack means of transportation and so remain stranded.
Those who intend to buy a house in Cuba must have 2,000 CUC for a single
room in a rooming sites; 20,000 CUC if you want a three bedroom
apartment in satisfactory condition, or 60,000 CUC on average for a
residence in the old quarter of Vedado, Nuevo Vedado or Miramar.
And, according to house brokers, it is likely that sales prices will
rise rapidly. In Havana, a well-preserved 1956 car costs more than a
two-bedroom apartment.
This tendency is bound to be reversed. The housing demand exceeds the
supply. The remaining problem is the lack of money of the majority to
take over a house. I guess that will increase phone calls to relatives
abroad to send them the money. Exiles, prepare your wallets!
Photo: loooquito, Panoramio. Buildings repaired along the Paseo del
Prado, Old Town Havana.
Translated by: CIMF, CASA
November 10 2011
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