Hundreds of abandoned villas in Dubai to be demolished

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: Hundreds of abandoned villas in Dubai to be demolished More than 250 dilapidated vacant houses scattered around Dubai pose a security and public health risk, Dubai Municipality has said. Officials said many of the abandoned houses may be being used by criminals for to store or take drugs, carry out sexual abuse and to house illegal workers. The municipality said in many cases the owners will not look after such buildings, which is often caught up in inheritance disputes between family members. Khaled Mohammed Saleh, head of the buildings department, said: “There is a possibility these houses are used as a den for crimes and as a hiding place for illegals and fugitives. Some use them to store illegal goods. These houses are also a public health hazard as a lot of garbage piles up in them.” The municipality has been demolishing abandoned houses since 2011. It issues an order that states the house must be renovated or demolished by the owner, and then steps in if they refuse. The owner is charged for the demolition and ordered to pay administration fees. Since 2011, the authority has identified 713 abandoned houses across Dubai, out of which 303 have been demolished and another 154 houses renovated by their owners. “We are working to resolve the situation with the remaining 256 houses,” said Saleh. The municipality said it is working closely with Dubai Police to identify empty villas during patrols. Police have previously warned about the security risk that these houses pose and said that they have seen several cases of drugs use and sexual abuse in such buildings. wafa.issa@7days.ae    Read the original story at: Hundreds of abandoned villas in Dubai to be demolished