A young woman living in a multifamily building on Dragones Street, directly across from Havana's Capitolio, has raised the alarm about a looming structural collapse. In a video, she highlights the precarious condition of a section hanging in mid-air above the building's staircase, a route used daily by many, including children.
In the footage shared by rapper El Funky on Facebook, the woman urgently shows the dangerous state of the compromised area located just below her apartment. "This is up in the air, hanging by a thread. If it falls, it could kill someone," she exclaims with visible distress.
The situation is not only dire due to the building's condition but also because of the authorities' lack of response. The woman recounts her attempts to alert officials the previous night; although a government architect visited, the demolition team never arrived. "I'm exhausted from calling them over and over," she laments.
She describes the staircase as a daily necessity for dozens of neighbors, fearing the structure might collapse on them. "Imagine, it could fall on anyone, even a child," she remarks.
Her frustration culminates in a question that underscores the widespread institutional neglect throughout the city: "Will they only come when there's a death? I reported it yesterday, today again, and when will it stop, when someone dies?"
Just three days prior, two elderly individuals were crushed in their home in Lawton, Diez de Octubre municipality, following a similar pattern: prior complaint, no action, resulting tragedy.
In May, a staircase in a six-story building in Mulgoba, Boyeros, collapsed, injuring a woman. Residents had also reported this deterioration without receiving any response.
By July, several families remained homeless weeks after a collapse in Centro Habana, with firefighters barring reentry due to imminent danger.
Centro Habana is notorious for having one of the most dilapidated housing stocks in the capital. Between 2008 and 2012, 433 collapses were recorded in this area alone.
According to Cuban official data from April 2026, approximately 1,000 buildings collapse annually in Havana. The national housing deficit exceeds 929,000 homes, with about 35% of the housing stock in fair or poor condition.
Understanding Havana's Building Crisis
Why are so many buildings collapsing in Havana?
The frequent collapses are primarily due to the aging infrastructure, lack of maintenance, and insufficient response from the authorities to repair deteriorating buildings.
What actions are being taken to address the housing crisis in Havana?
Despite the critical situation, there appears to be a lack of effective measures or urgency from the government to address the housing crisis adequately.
How does the housing deficit affect the residents of Havana?
The housing deficit forces many residents to live in unsafe conditions, increasing the risk of injury or death from building collapses.