Residents of Mexico’s ‘Viviendas del Bienestar’ Homes in Playa del Carmen Report Hidden Defects, No Power

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Residents of newly delivered Viviendas del Bienestar homes in Playa del Carmen are denouncing hidden construction defects and say the developer, CADU, illegally tapped into the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) power grid, leaving them without electricity.

Although the company was reportedly fined for the unauthorized connection, residents remain without power. In addition, the homes suffer from insufficient water supply.

Second councilman Orlando Muñoz Gómez raised the complaints before the Playa del Carmen City Council after receiving them from residents. Muñoz said officials are trying to determine who is responsible for the construction, but have so far been unsuccessful, even though that information should be available from the Urban Development and Public Works departments.

“It’s not that the homes are poorly built or don’t meet social standards; the problem is that they apparently hooked up to the electrical installations illegally,” Muñoz said. He added that they have not yet spoken with company representatives.

Muñoz said some municipal officials are not fulfilling their roles. Although the situation falls under federal jurisdiction, he noted that the municipal government is the first responder and should be the first to speak out from the council.

Before continuing to deliver the remaining 2,200 homes planned under the program, authorities must verify that all basic services are in place, or residents will continue to suffer, Muñoz concluded.