Amidst overgrown vegetation, refuse, rodents, and insects like cockroaches, the inhabitants of Obispo Pérez Cáceres Street in the Salamanca neighbourhood of Santa Cruz have been coexisting with these pests for nearly two decades. The genesis of this issue lies in the neglect of a residence at number 28, which, upon the demise of its owner, followed by her son and heir, has deteriorated into a dumping ground.
Residents have continuously raised red flags with the Santa Cruz City Council and the Government of the Canary Islands – supposedly the current proprietors of the property – concerning the significant public health hazard emanating from this forsaken dwelling. Their patience wears thin as, despite repeated appeals to policymakers, a resolution remains elusive.
Constructed in 1979 on a 139-square meter plot, this house, registered with the General Directorate of the Cadastre as a warehouse, now stands dilapidated and encircled by encroaching plant species and litter, instilling fear among locals of a potential calamity, especially if the overgrown garden were to catch fire one day.
An elderly neighbour named Matilde, grappling with reduced mobility at 83 years old, describes the situation as “hellish.” She discloses to DIARIO DE AVISOS that she has been utilising a portion of her pension to engage a lawyer in a protracted battle with public authorities, urging for an immediate resolution to this adjoining eyesore.
“Even cockroaches have infiltrated my refrigerator, voyaging from that derelict property into mine. It’s intolerable, and the most frustrating aspect is the absence of action. When a tossed cigarette ignites that garbage-ridden garden, and half the neighbourhood is ablaze, that’s when they’ll scramble for a fix that will be too late,” laments Matilde. She notes her recent plea for a quote from a private cleaning company to clear the waste, but hesitates due to the property’s private ownership. “However, a substantial share of my income has been dedicated to the lawyer, weary of dispatching letters to public entities without any response,” she adds.
Mari Carmen, a neighbouring resident in close proximity to the deserted abode, echoes a similar sense of distress. “Enormous rats gnaw at cables, scurrying amidst the foliage. We are at breaking point, as an inferno looms imminent,” she forewarns.
Approximately a decade ago, windows of the residence were boarded up to deter squatters and substance abusers, with the immediate vicinity cleared at the time. However, there has been no follow-up since then. Obispo Pérez Cáceres Street languishes in perpetual neglect.
