On Rosarito visit, President Claudia Sheinbaum launches ambitious social housing program
On her second visit to Rosarito—and her first to a working-class neighborhood—Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo launched an ambitious national social housing initiative. The program aims to build one million affordable homes across the country during her six-year term.
In Rosarito alone, the plan envisions the construction of over 2,000 housing units, although the specific sites have yet to be determined.
On Saturday, March 29, President Sheinbaum gave the official go-ahead for the first homes to be built on an 8,500-square-meter parcel of municipal land in the Real de Rosarito II subdivision. The site is zoned for 154 vertical housing units.
Alongside this groundbreaking, the federal government—working in coordination with local authorities—is in the process of identifying additional lots.
Speaking to hundreds of supporters gathered at the event, President Sheinbaum explained that the housing program will be carried out through three key institutions.
One of these is the National Housing Commission (CONAVI), which is expected to build 500,000 homes over the course of the administration.
This particular program targets individuals not enrolled in any social security system, especially those earning wages too low to qualify for high-interest housing loans. Notably, the loans under this program will carry zero interest.
The second program will be managed by INFONAVIT, aimed at workers formally registered with the Social Security system and eligible for INFONAVIT loans.
“INFONAVIT will now fulfill its original purpose—to build housing for workers, especially those earning just one or two minimum wages,” she declared to enthusiastic applause.
She also referenced the institution’s troubled past, when it became a lucrative business opportunity for corrupt politicians who, instead of building homes for workers, exploited the system for personal gain.
“After a thorough investigation, 38 criminal cases have been filed with the Attorney General’s Office—but there are 3,800 more involving fraud against workers’ housing credits,” Sheinbaum said.
“Some 850,000 homes were abandoned, vandalized, or outright seized during that period. And the money? It ended up in a few pockets, because those homes never reached the people.”
The third program will be managed through FOVISSSTE and will follow the same development model as INFONAVIT.
“We will issue a decree so that FOVISSSTE can operate like INFONAVIT. We’re going to begin writing off those unpayable debts that teachers and government employees owe to FOVISSSTE. And now, FOVISSSTE will also be able to build housing—not just provide loans,” she stated.
During her visit to the border region—and amid ongoing negotiations over tariffs imposed by the United States—Sheinbaum took a firm stance, calling for respect toward Mexico.
“We are currently in negotiations with the U.S. government because we do not want tariffs,” she said, receiving cheers from the crowd. “We don’t want Mexican exports to be taxed.
“Our economies are deeply interconnected—people in Baja California know this well. There are many factories here that supply the U.S. We will always negotiate with our heads held high, because Mexico deserves respect.”
