Mexico City urban plan proposes forced sale of vacant land

Luisa Gutiérrez Ureña, president of the PAN in Mexico City, has raised concerns regarding a draft of the Metropolitan Program for the Valley of Mexico. The proposal includes a mechanism for the 'forced sale' of properties within designated Priority Development and Construction Polygons.

Under this plan, authorities would identify vacant or underutilized lots in consolidated areas that already possess public infrastructure and services. Property owners would be given a period of two to four years to begin construction or rehabilitation. If no building activity occurs within this timeframe, the authorities could mandate a public auction of the property to ensure a new owner completes the construction.

Gutiérrez Ureña criticized the proposal, arguing it threatens private property and the assets of families who may have purchased land but lack the immediate resources to build. She also noted a lack of clarity regarding the criteria for these auctions and called for long-term urban planning that transcends political changes.