31 Real Estate Projects Shut Down in Mexico

Mexico — Due to a lack of permits, 31 real estate developments in various states across the country have been shut down by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).

The irregularities were detected during inspection operations focused on environmental impact and land use changes in coastal ecosystems. These operations were conducted to prevent, detect, and penalize damage to mangroves, wetlands, dunes, and federal maritime-terrestrial zones.

The 31 total or partial temporary closures of real estate projects, works, or activities were carried out through notifications involving state and federal authorities in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Guerrero, Michoacán, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and Yucatán.

State-by-State Breakdown of Closures

In Baja California, a property located in Ensenada was closed due to the opening of a road for a project to extract stone materials, which affected 1.5 hectares of rosetophilous scrubland.

In Baja California Sur, three properties in the municipality of La Paz were shut down for carrying out land use change activities and construction in coastal ecosystems without the required forestry or environmental impact authorizations.

According to Semarnat authorities, in Campeche, within the Flora and Fauna Protection Area of Laguna de Términos, three construction projects were closed for filling mangrove areas and building platforms on land reclaimed from the sea.

In Guerrero, in coordination with the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), 10 housing-type structures installed within the El Veladero National Park were removed, freeing up an invaded surface area in the eastern polygon of the Protected Natural Area. Additionally, a property was closed for carrying out activities that require environmental impact authorization on the bank of the Feliciano River.

In Michoacán, 13 inspections were carried out on Tortuga, Carrizalillo, Eréndira, and Azul beaches, resulting in seven construction projects being closed for building and filling activities conducted in coastal ecosystems without environmental authorization.

The operations also included Nayarit, where two properties in Bahía de Banderas were closed for the filling of wetlands and damage to coastal ecosystems.

In Oaxaca, five inspections were carried out in the municipalities of Santa María Huatulco and San Pedro Pochutla, resulting in three total and partial closures of tourism developments for land use changes and damage to low deciduous forest and coastal vegetation.