The Mexico City government has announced the expropriation of a building in the Roma Sur neighborhood to facilitate the construction of new social housing. The move highlights a growing urban development strategy aimed at addressing housing shortages in central areas through state-led intervention.
The official notice, published in the City’s Official Gazette, specifies that the property located at Eje 2 Poniente Monterrey 376 will be demolished to make way for the new units. According to the documentation, the expropriation was deemed a matter of "public utility," intended to improve population centers by implementing a Social and Popular Housing Program.
Authorities stated that the building was prioritized for demolition due to significant safety concerns. The Institute for Construction Safety of Mexico City (ISCDF) officially classified the structure as "High Structural Risk," determining that it no longer meets the necessary safety and stability standards for continued occupancy.
Under the terms of the expropriation, the current inhabitants have reportedly agreed to the housing substitution program. Residents are expected to vacate the premises for the start of construction and will be responsible for securing their own temporary housing until the new units are completed. While the notice marks the administrative phase of the expropriation, a specific start date for construction or a definitive move-out deadline has not yet been established.
This action follows a similar decree issued in September, involving the expropriation of a building in the Lorenzo Boturini neighborhood of the Venustiano Carranza borough. That property was also designated as a collapse risk, with the plan to replace it with social housing.
In a notable shift in policy, the city government also recently expropriated a property at República de Cuba 11 to provide housing for more than 70 residents who were left homeless in a street encampment in August 2025. This marks the first time the city has executed an expropriation for reasons other than structural risk, citing the right to dignified housing and a crackdown on real estate speculation.
The Institute of Housing (INVI) will oversee the new social housing program, which is primarily targeted at elderly residents. Legal representatives for affected families have described the move as a potential first step toward "community anchoring" policies in the capital.