THE HOMELAND | MANIZALES
“I lived in Saint Joseph between 25 and 30 years old. I was a representative of one home where three of us lived families. When the homeowner accepted the negotiation with the Manizales Urban Renewal and Development Company (ERUM), we went out. The commitment was that they were going to place us in an apartment. They did not comply“.
That was what he told LA PATRIA this Wednesday Guillermo Muñoz Pérez, observer of the San José Communeduring the socialization of the ERUM liquidation process in the Council from the city.
Once the process is completed, Muñoz trusts that the San José Macroproject pass into better hands. “The spirit was to move the houses of the slopes. Only 10% or 15% of the eradication has been completed. The Commune got worse. There is more unsafety“he added.
Guillermo Muñoz Pérez, overseer of the San José Commune.
Three years of losses
According to the councilor Julian Garcia (Green Alliance Party), this liquidation will take away from Manizales a company that generated losses for three consecutive years (2021, 2022 and 2023) and added at least 15 managers in almost three decades (he was going to turn 30 in 2025).
“The ERUM earned a bad name with the San José Macroproject, so no one hired it,” he said.
For him, the entity began with setbacks and “failing in the urban renewal of the Lower Switzerland“. As an aggravating factor, the association with Ideas Más was classified by the corporation as “the beginning of the end.”
García recognized that there is political will of the Town hall of Jorge Eduardo Rojas to liquidate the ERUM.
Julián García, councilor of Manizales (Green Alliance).
Alternatives
The legal representative of the ERUM, Margarita OspinaHe reported that The proposed settlement schedule is projected to be six months and the trust contract and the comprehensive management of the parent autonomous assets will be transferred to Infimanizales, which has the capacity to carry out the project.
However the Ministry of Housing will manage the project in the VIP autonomous estate through the Housing Unit.
“The deficiencies of the Macroproject are a reality. What the Administration current is to look at the viability of new options to recover the San José Commune,” he acknowledged.
Ospina also mentioned that the Housing Ministry intends to contribute money for the construction of 88 homes in execution unit 4, in La Avanzada.
“After the liquidation, it will be indicated whether any assets or property of the ERUM must be distributed to its shareholders: Infimanizales and the Municipality,” he stated.
Home improvement
Claudia Elena Muñoz Ruiz, councilor of the San José Communeregretted that resources from the Macroproject have been lost and hopes that the liquidation of the ERUM will generate positive changes, such as more facilities for sell the lots that are empty. “It is very sad to have to leave home due to a poorly managed Macroproject,” he questioned.
“We cannot always talk about tall buildings and apartments. How good it would be to have resources so that the community improve their homes. We ask the Mayor’s Office to think about the people on the slopes, so that we do not continue thinking about knocking down homes“was the call of the community leader.
Claudia Elena Muñoz Ruiz, councilor of the San José Commune.
Investment since 2009
$256 thousand 447 million 710 thousand 832 have been invested since 2009 in the San José Macroproject, according to data from the ERUM.
