Cartagena activates building licenses for 40 vacant lots

The Cartagena City Council is accelerating efforts to address the issue of vacant lots in the city's Historic District. Through a forced construction procedure initiated in September 2024, the local government has activated building licenses for 40 plots, which are expected to result in the construction of 254 homes.

In addition to residential units, the development plans include a student residence with over 90 places, as well as commercial premises and garages. The municipal strategy, led by Mayor Noelia Arroyo, aims to mobilize private land that has remained unused for years. Rather than proceeding directly to expropriation, the mechanism is designed to compel owners to begin construction; if they fail to do so, the plots may be subject to forced sale through auction.

As of May 2025, 25 of the 41 plots included in the initial phase had already requested licenses. In September 2025, the Urbanism department published the first list of lands that could face auction, including a lot of 14 plots totaling 2,076 square meters.