The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, July 11, 2003

GEARING UP: Thousands of Tico soccer fans are expected to turn out for Saturday's Gold Cup game against Canada in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Read TT Daily Page and next week's print edition for Gold Cup coverage from Boston.
AFP/TT

Realtors Reminds Owners to
Prepare for November Property Purges
The Costa Rican Realtors' Chamber is reminding all owners of land, vehicles (boats and planes included) and companies of the November deadline to properly register property with the National Registry.
(Click for more)

Government Spent $7.3 Million
On Public Housing in June
During the month of June, the government issued 1,152 bonos vivienda (building bonds equal to the price of building a house) totaling $7.3 million -- the second largest monthly public housing expenditure in the last 18 months, Housing Minister Helio Fallas announced Tuesday.
(Click for more)

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July 11

Concert Evolución Voxpop
Mega rock concert with the participation of several international and national bands, Sat., July 12, at noon, at Polideportivo Monserrat, Alajuela. Info: 905-233-2018.

La Fiesta Total Tour
Another great concert, but this one is for salsa lovers. Show features: Erick León and La Jungla, Fri., July 11, Capitán Moreno, Puntarenas; Sat., July 12, Bar People, Quepos. Info: 275-4608.

Domestic Pets Fair
Buy a pet. People can also buy seeds and materials to improve your garden. Don’t miss it! Sun., July 13, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Simón Bolivar Zoo, Av. 11, Ca. 7. Info: 256-0012.

Realtors Reminds Owners to
Prepare for November Property Purges
By Fabián Borges
fborges@ticotimes.net

The Costa Rican Realtors' Chamber is reminding all owners of land, vehicles (boats and planes included) and companies of the November deadline to properly register property with the National Registry.

According to the Chamber and the National Registry, very few property owners with annotated registrations have attempted to resolve the legal situation of their properties in the four and a half years they were given after the new notary code was passed in 1998.

Come November, all temporary annotations to property registrations will expire, leaving thousands of properties in legal limbo (TT, May 30).

Before 1992, annotated registrations were common practice, particularly among those looking to save on registration fees and avoid paying property taxes. As a result, many old properties have incomplete registration and ownership histories.

According to Roger Hildalgo of the National Land Registry, as of last month there were 115,000 annotated properties that need to be registered.

"Time is running out," he warned. "People should register to avoid any potential complications."

The Registry plans to start a nationwide ad campaign next month reminding property owners of the November deadline. The institution's yearly budget includes additional funds to pay overtime hours for employees to attend to the thousands of panicked owners who are expected to flock to its Zapote headquarters at the last minute, he said.

"If any kind of anomaly or discrepancy in land titles is discovered, owners need to call their lawyers right away," urged retired property lawyer Jorge Robles. "Chances are it will be a minor problem that can be fixed in just a matter of hours."

The legal status of properties can be checked by going directly to the Registry's main office in Zapote, or through the head offices of most municipalities. Most property registrations can also be viewed online at www.registronacional.go.cr.

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Government Spent $7.3 Million
On Public Housing in June
By Fabián Borges
fborges@ticotimes.net

During the month of June, the government issued 1,152 bonos vivienda (building bonds equal to the price of building a house) totaling $7.3 million -- the second largest monthly public housing expenditure in the last 18 months, Housing Minister Helio Fallas announced Tuesday.

The spending increase comes after months of public criticism regarding the time it takes the state-owned housing-bond bank (BANHVI) to evaluate each bond request. In March, Fallas promised to reduce the delays and increase the number of approved public-housing credits.

"We were able to increase the number of medium-cost bonds for lower-middle class families who already owned land," Fallas explained. "We also significantly reduced the time it takes BANHVI to evaluate and approve credit and bond requests."

Most of the new public and subsidized housing projects are located in rural areas of the country, he said.

On March 28, more than a dozen families moved into Las Cascadas housing project in Pococí, in the eastern province of Limón.

On June 13, El Mirador in Barva de Heredia -- the first series of middle-class homes built with government bonds-- was inaugurated. The homes are equipped for phones and painted according to the owners' tastes.

The public-housing building code approved last February requires specific building types for areas prone to flooding, as well as for areas that are hot and dry. It also calls for specially adapted homes to fit the cultural traditions of certain indigenous groups (TT Daily Page, Feb. 6).

So far, Fallas said, the new building specifications have been successfully implemented.

For example, last month, several dozen families living in shantytowns outside Liberia, in the hot and arid northwest province of Guanacaste, were moved into new homes designed to offer additional ventilation.

Last Friday, a series of houses designed in accordance with the needs and traditions of the Cábecar indigenous community in Talamanca were inaugurated, Fallas said. The homes have a joint dormitory area and a traditional dirt-floor kitchen area, he said.

In the next six weeks, 17 families will move into "flood-proof" stilt homes in the Caribbean area of Matina.

"We were able to increase public housing investment, while applying improved quality standards," he said. "Without increasing the cost of each bond, we improved the homes Costa Rican families receive."

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U.S. Citizens Can Now Have Pension Payments
Wired to C.R. Bank Accounts

U.S. citizens residing in Costa Rica can now receive their Medicare and Social Security pension payments through direct deposit into accounts at Banco Nacional, Banco de Costa Rica or Banco Interfin, according to an embassy release.

Those interested need to visit one the participating banks before July 21, 2003 and open a special account in U.S. dollars. The processing time for new accounts could take 30 to 60 days, according to the release.

The direct deposit will be made on the third day of each month, or the following working day if the third day falls on a Sunday.

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