While Cuba faces an official housing shortage exceeding 929,000 homes, leaving countless families living under deteriorating roofs, the Architecture Society of the Union of Architects and Construction Engineers of Cuba (UNAICC) has invited its members to prepare presentations for the upcoming III International Congress "Housing in Latin American Cities," which will take place virtually on August 26 and 27.
The announcement, posted on Facebook by Ramón Félix Recondo Pérez, president of the Architecture Society of UNAICC, sets August 7 as the deadline for submitting presentation summaries. Recondo Pérez described the event as "an academic platform for discussing housing challenges and opportunities from interdisciplinary perspectives" and encouraged architects to "showcase their research and engage in dialogue on the future of housing in Latin America."
Academic Discussions Amidst a Housing Emergency
The stark contrast between the academic nature of the congress and the dire housing conditions in Cuba is hard to overlook. Official statistics from 2026 indicate that 35% of Cuban residences are in either poor or fair condition, with approximately 1,000 buildings collapsing each year in Havana alone.
The construction industry in Cuba is nearly at a standstill; cement factories operate at merely 10% of their total capacity, having lacked significant maintenance for over seven years, despite a national demand of four million tons annually.
Construction plans are continually unmet. In 2025, the government completed only 2,382 of the 10,795 planned housing units, achieving just 22% of their target. By the first quarter of that year, this percentage had dwindled to 12.4%. The "modular homes" initiative, one of the government's strategies to alleviate the crisis, had delivered only 133 units across the country by April 2026.
Legislative Changes and Criticism
This virtual congress is not the sole academic event on housing held amid the crisis. The Circular CreLab Hackathon 2026 on construction innovation took place on July 2 in Holguín, co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program, receiving criticism for the disconnect between academic discussions and the acute housing crisis affecting Cubans.
In legislative developments, the National Assembly unveiled a draft for a new Housing Law in June, consisting of 190 articles aimed at replacing the 1988 regulation. The draft introduces long-term mortgage financing and subleasing, mandates monthly fees for owners in multi-family buildings, and empowers the state to reclaim abandoned properties with structural damage. However, the draft is yet to be definitively approved, and analysts argue it fails to address the root causes of the housing dilemma.
The housing crisis, exacerbated by a severe shortage of materials, the collapse of the cement industry, and decades of neglect under the socialist regime, continues to worsen. While architects engage in virtual forums, thousands of Cuban families remain in desperate need of solutions to a housing crisis that only intensifies.
Understanding Cuba's Housing Challenges
What is the current housing deficit in Cuba?
Cuba currently has an official housing deficit of over 929,000 homes, severely impacting families across the nation.
How is the construction industry performing in Cuba?
The construction industry in Cuba is nearly inactive, with cement plants operating at 10% capacity and significant unmet housing construction targets.
What legislative changes are being proposed for housing in Cuba?
A proposed new Housing Law aims to introduce long-term mortgage options and subleasing, but it has yet to address the fundamental issues causing the housing crisis.