Municipal councilman threatens suit against the builder of a Cajas housing project

A Cuenca councilman claims that the developer of a small multi-unit housing project near Cajas National Park committed perjury in his construction application. According to Cristian Zamora, the property owner said he planned to build horse stables and violated environmental codes when he built apartments instead.

Zamora says he will file legal action if the city does not act.

Part of the Cajas Mountains housing project,. (El Tiempo)

“The area is environmentally sensitive and does not support high population density,” he says. “The risk of contamination by human habitation is very high there. It is part of the watershed for Cuenca.”

According to the councilman, the builder is a foreign resident who has sold his units to other foreigners.

Zamora says he has asked the Municipal Control Department to take action against the builder but it has, so far, not acted. The city maintains that the project, located off the Cuenca-Guayaquil highway 12 kilometers west of Cuenca, was constructed according to the approved construction plans.

“The issue is not whether the construction plans were followed,” he says. “The problem is that it was allowed to go forward in the first place since the owner lied about his intentions.”

Zamora says he wants the owner punished and the project demolished.