Mexico: Authorities remove illegal land sale ads to curb irregular settlements

Municipal authorities in Los Reyes La Paz, Mexico, have removed banners and advertisements for land sales in irregular zones to halt illegal commercialization in ecological areas and beyond authorized urban limits.

Municipal president Martha Guerrero Sánchez announced the measure, stating, "While clandestine subdividers place banners or ads in strategic locations for land sales, we remove them." The initiative aims to prevent construction in non-developable areas and curb disorderly growth. Guerrero Sánchez advised the public against purchasing land without clear access to roads and essential services like potable water, electricity, and drainage, noting that buyers often face the consequences of lacking infrastructure, as local governments have limitations in extending services to these areas.

Irregular sellers operate without legal responsibility, sometimes offering the same plot multiple times. These lands are frequently located on hillsides, ravines, and other high-risk zones, with subdividers failing to disclose the absence of services or associated dangers. The authorities have implemented a coordinated program with municipal, state, and federal police, focusing operations on areas like Lomas de San Sebastián and Lomas de San Isidro, which experience higher crime rates, including gender-based violence. The phenomenon of irregular subdivisions persists across many municipalities in the Mexico Valley, driven by demographic pressure and housing demand, pushing low-income families toward low-cost but high-risk land.