The crumbling of Cuba's historic homes stands as a stark reminder of the country's economic collapse and the challenges faced by its residents. As the economy struggles under the weight of a US-imposed fuel blockade, the housing deficit soars past 900,000 units, and the once-grand colonial townhouses in Havana's Centro Habana district and Habana Vieja are now mere shadows of their former glory. The story of Marnie Estevez and her family is a microcosm of this crisis. Living in a third-floor apartment with no way out after a storm damaged the staircase, Estevez's family was rescued by the fire service using a crane. Seven years later, her mother and grandmother still reside in a hostel, while Estevez and her family have moved into a cramped two-room apartment on the first floor. The situation is not unique to Estevez's family. Nine families who were evacuated from a collapsed building three years ago are now living in a boxing gym, with each family occupying a small space defined by cardboard walls and makeshift privacy screens. The lack of maintenance, overcrowding, and the ravages of time have taken their toll on Havana's colonial buildings, with 3,856 buildings collapsing between 2000 and 2013, according to the Office of the City Historian. By 2020, 37% of the country's residential buildings were deemed unsafe. The situation is dire, with Dayana Garcia, a mother raising three children in the gym, expressing her frustration: 'There is no money here to fix anything.' The absence of government intervention is a recurring theme. Garcia accuses the Cuban authorities of abandoning their citizens, as no one from the government has visited the gym to assess the situation or provide support. The economic crisis and the US blockade have exacerbated the housing crisis, leaving the government with limited resources to address the issue. The story of Cuba's historic homes is a testament to the resilience of its people in the face of adversity. Despite the challenges, the island's colonial buildings continue to stand, even if they are a reminder of the repeated crises that have plagued the nation. The future of these historic homes remains uncertain, but the resilience of the Cuban people is a beacon of hope in the face of economic turmoil.
