What's happening? The Municipality of Manatí will auction 17 properties declared public nuisances on Oct. 20, with opening bids ranging from $7,116 to $110,000, with the goal of converting abandoned structures into affordable housing.
To participate, you must pre-qualify with the municipality before Oct. 13.
Priority will be given to Manatí residents, people with low or moderate incomes, and those who need a first home or have lost their home.
Why it matters. The 17 properties are a fraction of the 458 declared public nuisances in Manatí, nearly half of which are in the historic downtown. The municipality's priority is to convert them into affordable housing through a process similar to the one Isabela launched in June, and more than 70 people have already received information sessions, Manatí municipal secretary Glenda Padilla Quiñones told Platea.
"The municipality's Planning Office is working on several revitalization projects for the historic downtown, so the properties were selected strategically to help repopulate it and increase economic activity in the urban center," Padilla Quiñones said.
If any properties receive no bids, the municipality would hold another auction. That next round would be an open-outcry auction, where any citizen could submit bids starting at the minimum price, Padilla Quiñones said.
Buyers will have one year to rehabilitate the property and make it their primary residence.
Jueves, 8 de octubre: Reunión pre-subasta para responder preguntas sobre el proceso. Organiza la Junta de Subastas. Ese día también habrá visitas a las propiedades.
Hora: 9:00 a.m.
Dónde: Teatro del Centro de las Artes Joaquín Rosa Gómez
Martes, 13 de octubre: Fecha límite para la precualificación de los interesados. Tienen hasta las 3:00 p.m. para entregar los documentos requeridos.
Martes, 20 de octubre: Fecha límite para entregar los sobres con las ofertas por personas precualificadas. Ese día, la Junta de Subastas realizará la apertura de los sobres y lectura de las ofertas a viva voz.
Hora: 9:00 a.m.
Dónde: Teatro del Centro de las Artes Joaquín Rosa Gómez
Noviembre (fecha por confirmar): Tras puntuar y evaluar cada una de las ofertas, la Junta de Subastas determina quién se lleva la propiedad y lo anuncia por correo certificado con acuse de recibo o por correo electrónico.
The 17 properties
The properties Manatí will auction were declared public nuisances and the municipality acquired title to them through expropriation, elimination of usufruct or similar processes.
Prices. The 17 properties are located mainly in Manatí's urban center and range from $7,116 to $110,000. Prices were set by an appraiser, by the Centro de Recaudación de Ingresos Municipales (CRIM), or based on the amount paid as just compensation in the expropriation process.
Propiedad MA-116: Localizada en la Calle Caribe esquina Calle Acosta, Manatí. Precio inicial: $7,116.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-32: Localizada en la Calle Quiñones #42, Manatí. Precio inicial: $18,000.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-27: Localizada en la Calle Quiñones #46, Manatí. Precio inicial: $10,000.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-194: Localizada en la Calle Francisco Álvarez #17, Manatí. Precio inicial: $27,716.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-192: Localizada en la Calle Francisco Álvarez #4, Manatí. Precio inicial: $16,234.00
Propiedad MA-79: Localizada en la Calle Acosta #42, Manatí. Precio inicial: $13,000.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-64: Localizada en la Calle Eugenio Sánchez López #82, Manatí. Precio inicial: $22,000.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-49: Localizada en la Calle Eugenio Sánchez López #44, Manatí. Precio inicial: $23,000.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-56: Localizada en la Calle Eugenio Sánchez López #68, Manatí. Precio inicial: $16,000.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-65: Localizada en la Calle Eugenio Sánchez López #83, Manat. Precio inicial: $13,000.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-70: Localizada en la Calle Padial #10, Manatí. Precio inicial: $22,000.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-84: Localizada en la Calle Padial #44, Manatí. Precio inicial: $18,000.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-80: Propiedad localizada en la Calle Padial #79, Manatí. Precio inicial: $16,000 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-236: Localizada en la Calle Celis Aguilera #34, Manatí. Precio inicial: $11,500.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-73: Localizada en la Calle La Cruz #32, Manatí. Precio inicial: $59,168.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-110: Localizada en la Calle Georgetti #80, Manatí. Precio inicial: $52,106.00 (Suministrada)
Propiedad MA-125: Localizada en la Bda. Miranda #9, Manatí. Precio inicial: $110,000.00 (Suministrada)
Estas son las 17 propiedades en la primera subasta de estorbos públicos de Manatí con sus precios.
How Manatí's affordable housing auction works
Participation. Only people pre-qualified by the Municipality of Manatí may submit bids. To do so, they must meet requirements related to residency, income, ability to pay and housing need, and must submit the required documents.
Bids. Once pre-qualified (on or before Oct. 13), interested parties may submit a bid for the property they wish to acquire using the documents provided by the municipality, on or before Oct. 20.
Bid opening. The Junta de Subastas will open the envelopes in a public process and read the bids received. This will take place Oct. 20 at 9:00 a.m. at the Teatro del Centro de las Artes Joaquín Rosa Gómez. The highest bidder will not necessarily win.
Buyer selection. The Junta will evaluate and score participants according to the priority criteria set by the municipality. If two people receive the same score, a drawing will be held in the presence of both. Those selected will be notified by email or certified mail.
Financing. The selected person will have 15 days to show that they formally began the financing process with a financial institution, and another 15 days to present evidence of loan or mortgage approval. The municipality may grant an extension for good cause.
If the buyer is unable to complete financing, the property may be awarded to the next eligible bidder.
One important difference: these properties can be purchased with a mortgage loan. That sets this process apart from other public nuisance auctions, where payment by check may be required.
After the purchase. The buyer will have one year from the signing of the deed to complete the cleanup and conditioning of the property, though they may request additional time from the municipality if there is a justified reason. Failure to comply could result in the loss of ownership and of the money invested.
🏚️ 458 propiedades declaradas estorbo público; cerca de 200 están en el centro urbano
⏳+190 propiedades pendientes de declaración
🧑🧒🧒 24 familias con vales del Programa R3 (reparación, reconstrucción o reubicación) sin haber conseguido una vivienda en Manatí hasta marzo 2026. En esa fecha, todavía 1,763 familias a nivel isla seguían sin utilizar su vale de R3.
Restrictive contract. Because this is a process different from a traditional sale, the purchase contract carries certain restrictions, including:
The property may only be used as a primary residence.
The person who acquires it may use it as a residence for a maximum of 10 years. After that period, they may rent or sell it.
If the property were to fall again into the condition of a public nuisance, the new owner could lose ownership and, as a result, would also lose the money invested up to that point.
Only one property will be selected per person, family or household.
The property is transferred in the physical condition in which it is found ("as is"). The municipality will not make improvements or repairs beforehand.
Any negligence or failure to comply could cancel the agreement.
The municipality will make efforts to find a pro bono notary public for the proceedings; if one is not found, the applicant will be responsible for the costs.
Lee más sobre nuestra cobertura de estorbos públicos
How to prequalify to participate in the affordable housing auction in Manatí
Interested parties can visit the Municipal Secretary's Office to request the prequalification documents or request them by email at subastas@manati.pr.gov.
What are the requirements?
The municipality established three priorities for prequalifying interested parties and awarding points in the auction process.
📍Priority 1 (residents): residents of the community where the property is located who have been affected by weather events or unforeseeable circumstances; residents or relatives of a resident of the community where the property is located or of Manatí. Once those criteria are exhausted, the general public.
💵 Priority 2 (income): people with low or moderate incomes. The reference points used are the Section 8 program limits published by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which range from $23,200 annually for one person and $26,500 for two people up to $43,700 for a family of eight, and annual incomes that do not exceed 120% of the area median income for Manatí as determined by HUD, which range from no more than $34,800 annually for one person up to $65,600 for eight people.
🏠 Priority 3 (housing need): priority will be given to:
Those who lost their residence in a weather event or unforeseeable circumstance;
Those seeking to acquire their first home as a primary residence;
People who live in their own home but it is in "extreme deterioration and danger with no viable path to rehabilitation," and who are willing to exchange the property they own.
Other requirements. Not having a property in your name or being in the process of purchasing one (except for people under Priority 3, subsection c, who wish to make an exchange).
🪪 Identificación vigente con fotografía del solicitante y co-solicitante (de ser necesario)
📍Evidencia de domicilio o residencia bona fide (facturas de luz, agua, teléfono); evidencia de residencia de los padres (la que aplique)
🏚️ Evidencia de haber sido afectado o perdido la residencia principal por un evento atmosférico o inesperado, si aplica (depende de la prioridad seleccionada)
💵 Evidencia de ingresos de todos los adultos del hogar (Seguro Social, ayudas, talonarios, desempleo, etc.)
🏦 Evidencia de fondos disponibles (certificación bancaria de entidades en Puerto Rico, cheque o precualificación hipotecaria con la cantidad con la que cualifica)
📝 Declaración o certificación de que la prioridad a adquirir será su primer hogar y residencia principal
🏚️ Evidencia de la condición de extremo deterioro de su vivienda actual, si reclama dicha subprioridad
📋 Documentos adicionales solicitados por la Junta de Subastas
The future of public nuisance properties in Manatí
Public nuisance properties that pass into the municipality's hands will be designated for affordable housing, either through auctions like the one announced or as donations to nonprofit organizations that rehabilitate them and rent or sell them at an affordable price, the municipal secretary explained.
These processes are carried out with the help of the Centro para la Reconstrucción del Hábitat (CRH), an entity that has a contract with the municipality to provide guidance and bring public nuisance cases to court, Padilla Quiñones said.
More housing through Section 8. The municipal official noted that six other properties declared public nuisances are being rehabilitated by the municipality to convert them into eight housing units and designate them for rental through the federal Section 8 program.
"Funds allocated by HUD (the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development) are being used to rehabilitate them… The goal is to make them available for rent through the Section 8 program under the municipality's management," he said.
Investment and revenue: Padilla Quiñones could not say how much money the Municipio de Manatí has invested in the public nuisance declarations and in the legal proceedings to allow the municipality to acquire property titles, which are handled by CRH attorneys.
He did confirm, however, that municipal crews have been used to clean up some nuisance properties and demolish at least four of them.
On the possibility of generating revenue from public nuisance properties, Padilla Quiñones said: "The goal is not necessarily to collect more income, but really to make these homes available to the families that need them."
"Manatí is in good fiscal health, and that also factors in, because the municipality already has other sources of income, so the real priority is making all these homes available to residents," he added.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
