Mexico City is tackling a range of issues this week, from housing affordability and suspected dog poisonings to a dramatic car crash caught on camera. Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has teased a future NFL game in the capital, adding to the growing buzz around U.S. sports in Mexico.
Let’s get into it.
Morena’s housing bill aims to curb rent hikes and gentrification
The ruling Morena party and Mayor Clara Brugada put forth a framework on Oct. 22, aimed at stabilizing Mexico City’s ongoing housing rental affordability crisis.
Dubbed the Law on Tenant Relations and Fair, Reasonable and Affordable Rents, the reforms include capping rent increases, prohibiting excessive requirements to obtain a rental, creating an official government office tasked with handling tenant-landlord relations, and building more affordable housing.
In a news release, the administration said the bill is aimed at “curbing gentrification and guaranteeing the right to housing.”
Another side of the story: A Mexican perspective on gentrification
According to the mayor’s office, roughly 2 million people rent their homes in the capital, representing a 54% increase over the past 15 years. Rent, meanwhile, “frequently exceeds 30% of the family income,” a benchmark set by the United Nations in 2020, with prices in some high-demand areas skyrocketing between 100% and 200% over the past decade.
Mexico City’s government already passed a 2024 law capping rent increases relative to inflation. However, the new legislation goes a step further, barring landlords from raising a property’s rent when it changes from one tenant to another. There is an exception for landlords who undertake significant renovations to a property.
Other reforms included in the legislation
- A Bill of Rights protecting renters from excessive rental requirements and discrimination.
- A Tenant Relations Ombudsman tasked with providing free legal advice and resolving disputes.
- A Digital Registry of Contracts and a one-year lease requirement.
- A Social Support Office for Evictions, tasked with ensuring the eviction process is “peaceful and respects human dignity.”
- An affordable housing project that aims to build 80,000 new units alongside 120,000 improvement and expansion projects in low-income neighborhoods.
- A Public Housing Observatory tasked with monitoring land prices and rental prices across Mexico City’s 16 boroughs.
According to the International Business Times, Morena is gathering signatures for the bill, which it will present to the Mexico City Congress as a show of public support. The proposal is currently being considered by the joint Housing and Administration and Justice committees.
Authorities investigate suspected dog poisonings at Parque España
We reported on this in Mexico News Daily’s regular coverage. However, some stories are so important, we felt it prudent to reiterate here: Authorities are investigating suspected dog poisonings at Parque España in the capital’s Condesa neighborhood.
Simply put, if you or someone you know is a pet parent in the capital (cat walkers, we see you too), please be aware and spread the word.
In a news release published Oct. 27, the Attorney General’s Office of Mexico City announced it is launching an investigation and preventative measures after several dogs became fatally ill while spending time in the park, which features a popular off-leash dog area.
According to the AG’s office, the Citizen Security Ministry (SSC) was called to a nearby veterinary clinic that was treating the dogs. The SSC subsequently canvassed the park and found a blue pill wrapped in a piece of sausage. The pill, which is currently being investigated, has not been definitively linked to the suspected poisonings.
The case is being treated as potential animal abuse and cruelty. While the park is still open, the dog run and children’s areas were closed for cleanup.
“Citizens are urged to report any situation that could put the integrity of animals at risk to 911 or to the SSC Secretary’s Contact Unit, at telephone 55 5208 9898,” the Attorney General’s Office wrote in its news release, “as well as through the accounts @SSC_CDMX and @UCS_GCDMX.”
Tesla crash in affluent Mexico City neighborhood goes viral
A viral video of a shocking car crash in western Mexico City is making the rounds, roughly a week after the incident.
According to video obtained by U.S. media outlet TMZ, a Tesla careens off the road in Cuajimalpa, smashes through a gate and part of another structure before launching off a side patio and ultimately landing somewhere off-screen.
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A time stamp on the footage, taken from what appears to be a home surveillance video, dates the incident to Oct. 19. The incident occurred in Cuajimalpa’s affluent Lomas del Chamizal neighborhood.
International Business Times reports that the cause of the crash, as well as the condition of those involved, is unknown.
Dallas Cowboys tease future game in Mexico City
With the NFL’s first Mexico City series game of the season less than a month away, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones suggested his team could soon be coming to the capital.
During a post-game interview with ESPN’s John Sutcliffe on Monday, Oct. 26, Jones was asked, on a scale of one to 10, about the likelihood of the Cowboys playing at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca (also known as Estadio Banorte).
“One,” Jones said several times before catching his mistake and changing his answer to an emphatic 10. “We’re coming,” he added.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott doubled down on the enthusiasm, telling Sutcliffe a game in Mexico City would be “exciting.”
“I know the atmosphere would be electric,” Prescott said. “Viva Mexico!”
U.S. sports have had something of a moment in Mexico as of late.
Ticket demand for the Nov. 22 Week 11 match-up between the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings was extraordinary, with some 840,000 fans registering to get a highly coveted seat, as Mexico News Daily previously reported.
Nov. 22 match-up of Vikings vs. 49ers in CDMX sees extraordinary ticket demand
Meanwhile, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver suggested last week that Mexico City could be considered for a future league expansion, telling the Pat McAfee Show, “It’s a shorter flight from New York to Mexico than from New York to Los Angeles, so you can see why we’d be interested.”
Drew Pittock serves as Mexico News Daily’s features director. He is based in Mexico City. Have an idea for a feature story or unique event in CDMX? Send an email to drew.pittock@mexiconewsdaily.com.
