Tijuana residents contest risk zone declarations and resilience assessments

Residents of the Cumbres del Rubí neighborhood in Tijuana are rejecting a public consultation process conducted by the Tijuana Metropolitan Planning Institute (Implan). The consultation aims to formalize the declaration of a risk zone following landslides in the Lomas del Rubí area. Local community leaders, including Manuel Oseguera Villa, have reported confusion regarding the process, citing a lack of transparency in methodology and inaccuracies in demographic data used in the technical files.

While Implan officials state they are finalizing the technical expediente for a forthcoming definitive ruling, neighbors are demanding in-person public hearings to ensure transparency. Although technical opinions from the Municipal Civil Protection Coordination have been shared, residents noted that current documents do not mandate evacuations or relocations at this time.

Separately, discussions regarding Tijuana’s urban resilience have surfaced following claims that the city has failed in its capacity to manage natural disasters. Experts suggest that such assessments require rigorous technical evidence, including clear methodologies and indicators, to avoid causing public confusion or unfairly impacting the city’s perception of its emergency response capabilities.