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Original article: Arquitectos por un Chile Digno rechazan demolición de viviendas sociales en El Olivar y acusan falta de sustento técnico y legal

Architects for a Dignified Chile (AACHD) on Demolitions in El Olivar: «There is no legal framework that allows for demolition… the ministry has not presented the necessary legal justification to proceed»

Image published in Diario UChile

The organization Architects and Architects for a Dignified Chile (AAChD) has publicly rejected the commencement of demolitions of social housing being constructed in El Olivar, Viña del Mar, which are intended for families affected by the massive fire of 2024.

In a statement, the organization asserted that «demolition is not the best option for the victims of El Olivar» and advocated for the continuation of the project with structural repairs, asserting that the identified issues «are completely manageable».

As reported by Diario Radio UChile, the situation escalated on Saturday, May 23, when the Ministry of Housing and Urbanism began using heavy machinery to initiate partial demolition of the works. Architect Ximena Bórquez, a member of the AACHD coordination team, told the outlet, «What was demolished is not one of the structures about which IDIEM issued its report,» adding, «we have no clarity on why those structures, which are initiated homes, were demolished«.

In the announcement released by Architects for a Dignified Chile, the movement expressed support for residents who have «voiced their decision to reinforce their homes, continue the project, and not opt for demolition«. The organization highlighted that «the construction flaw identified by IDIEM is fixable and does not indicate that demolition is necessary«, questioning the high fiscal costs associated with destroying homes instead of repairing them.

Diario Radio UChile also noted that Bórquez dismissed the notion that the technical report recommended tearing down the buildings. «The IDIEM report only makes recommendations to ensure the homes comply with the standards. It does not recommend demolition, but rather ensuring that everything is correct and adheres perfectly to the standards, which costs 3.5 million pesos per home,» explained the architect. She added that the construction company was willing to bear these costs as part of the regular execution process.

AAChD also reported on pressures placed on residents to detach from the housing project and defended the reconstruction model promoted in the area. «It makes no sense to continue halting construction and keep residents who have lost their homes in limbo,” the statement read, adding that families currently face «insecurity and the prospect of enduring another winter in precarious conditions». The organization also appreciated the efforts of the Sponsoring Entity and the construction company, noting they had developed “a participatory reconstruction project” in a complex territorial context.

In statements gathered by Diario Radio UChile, Bórquez further alleged that the Minvu’s procedure lacks a normative foundation. «There is no provision that allows for demolition at the instant between the permit and the reception. It does not exist, and the ministry has been unable to showcase the legal groundwork for doing so. In fact, they are using the term disassemble instead of demolish, which legally does not exist,» she noted. The architect also warned that the destruction of homes «establishes a terrifying precedent within the framework of government housing and urban development policies».

As legal actions initiated by residents—including seniors and people with disabilities—move forward, affected families and professionals have called for a demonstration and a community conversation in El Olivar to denounce what they consider an arbitrary state decision. «This cold bucket of water needs to be understood,” said Bórquez to Diario Radio UChile, reflecting the shock felt by victims upon seeing excavators begin to dismantle parts of the homes they were slated to occupy after losing everything in the fire.

La entrada Architects for a Dignified Chile Oppose Demolition of Social Housing in El Olivar, Cite Lack of Legal Justification se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.