Twenty days after the collapse of number 9 Canigó Street in Badalona caused three deaths and a domino effect that forced the evacuation of four blocks (80 apartments), the Generalitat made an appearance this Monday, for the first time, in the epicenter of misfortune.
The first councilor to visit the place was the Territory Councillor, Ester Capella, who met with the mayor, Xavier García Albiol, and representatives of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) at the Raval house (a few meters from the Canigó street).
The technical meeting ended without promises, without a budget and without concrete solutions.
Afterwards, Capella wanted to visit the affected buildings and there she met a dozen neighbors who made the absence of the Catalan administration ugly during these three weeks.
“Pere Aragonés has not come to see us for a single day.
He hasn't even cared about us,” recriminated Juan Recay, one of the residents evacuated from number 9 Canigó Street.
Capella tried to talk to the neighbors and quickly ended the visit.
“The Generalitat is leaving,” another of the neighbors blurted out as Capella left.
The mayor of Badalona, Xavier García Albiol, has continued speaking with those affected and has concluded that he needs time to finalize the reports and, only then, find solutions.
Albiol has pointed out that “perhaps” the apartments where residents will be relocated will not be near Badalona.
The Minister of Territory and the vice president of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), Antoni Balmón, met this Monday with Albiol at the Raval center in Badalona.
The agenda was somewhat ambiguous: “Analyze the consequences and actions to be carried out resulting from the demolition of the building on Canigó Street.”
After the meeting, the only promise that has been made clear is that the Generalitat will assume 50% of the cost of the inspections that are being carried out in the 22 buildings of the affected development (420 apartments).
To date, in addition to the building that suffered the collapse of its structure (at 9 Canigó Street), the properties at number 7, 11 and 5 have been evacuated. In total 80 apartments in which 76 families lived (four floors were empty) who have abandoned their homes and have settled in the flats of relatives.
There are seven families (20 people, including five children) who have accommodated them in hotels and guesthouses.
Capella explained that they will soon sign an agreement with the City Council, where the Generalitat will provide “more than half” of the resources for the preparation of a report on the situation of the buildings on the block of Canigó, Llefià and Ausiàs March streets. .
Since Friday, new cracks have appeared in two buildings on Canigó Street and two on Ausiàs March.
Even so, after the reviews carried out, it was decided not to vacate the properties and the neighbors have continued to live in their homes.
On the other hand, the survivors of number 9 met this Monday to appear in the case.
“Now the neighbors of the other properties will report to our insurance and while we have no solutions to the lack of apartments.
Look at the misfortune of Valencia, how quickly the institutions have moved to provide them with housing,” says Recay.
“When they deign to accommodate us in apartments, they will surely be in other municipalities because there are none in Badalona,” the neighbor denounces.
Councilor Capella has assured that a final report will be drawn up with the company that is carrying out the reviews and then an agreement that will serve to develop an “exact x-ray” of the problem.
The Generalitat and the City Council have maintained that “no one will be left on the street” and a housing solution will be sought for the residents of the collapsed block in the coming weeks while the rest of those affected will have to wait for the technical reports.
No decision has been made about their future, but they rule out that the decision is joint.
“When we have the reports we will sit down and look for solutions with each of the families' realities.
We cannot decide without seeing the income of each family,” Albiol maintained.
“In addition, insurers will also have something to say,” Capella added.
Albiol has shown his chest with the management that the municipal government is carrying out and has stated: “The City Council has spent 100,000 euros on this crisis.”
For his part, the executive vice president of the AMB has highlighted that the three administrations are “joining efforts,” with the aim of finding solutions to serve the affected neighbors, who are currently in a “vulnerable situation.”
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