Behind makeshift curtains of sheets, surrounded by cardboard walls and under a zinc roof that turns the place into an oven, nine Cuban families have been eking out a living for three years in a boxing gym in Old Havana. Without running water and with children exposed to dampness and the constant noise of training, their plight highlights one of Cuba's most severe and intractable issues: the housing crisis.
This grim portrait was captured in a report by AFP published on Tuesday, illustrating the everyday struggles of families forced to turn a sports facility into their home while waiting for a solution that seems perpetually out of reach.
The Broader Impact of Cuba's Housing Shortage
This scenario is far from unique, reflecting a systemic problem affecting hundreds of thousands of Cubans. The housing deficit on the island exceeds 900,000 homes. According to official figures, more than a third of residential buildings in the country were already in critical or poor condition as of 2020.
Among those enduring the consequences of this decay is Marnie Estevez, a 43-year-old resident of Havana. Her life was upended when a storm destroyed the staircase of the neoclassical 1920s building where she lived with her husband and daughters in Central Havana.
Suddenly, the family was trapped on the third floor. "The firefighters had to use a crane to get my grandmother down," Estevez told AFP.
Personal Stories of Despair and Waiting
Her mother, Leodiska Canino, 64, and her 97-year-old grandmother have been living in a state shelter for seven years. They are part of the thousands of Cubans evacuated from dangerous buildings, still waiting for a permanent home.
"Havana is falling apart," Canino lamented. "There's no money here to fix anything."
Dayana García, 35, is one of the mothers residing in the Old Havana boxing gym with her three children. Surrounded by makeshift cardboard partitions, they try to maintain a semblance of routine amid precarious conditions. She told AFP that one of her children developed a lung infection due to the damp environment.
"No one from the government comes here... not even to see if we are alive or dead," she complained.
Challenges Amidst Infrastructure Decay
The housing crisis comes at a particularly challenging time for the nation. Prolonged blackouts and a shortage of resources have further exacerbated the deterioration of buildings and hindered repair and construction efforts.
Statistics underscore the gravity of the issue. Between 2000 and 2013, 3,856 buildings collapsed in Havana, averaging nearly one structure per day, according to the City Historian's Office. In 2025 alone, at least six people, including a seven-year-old girl, died due to building collapses in the capital. This month, another collapse occurred in front of Havana's Malecón.
Temporary Fixes and Long-Term Challenges
Despite the dire situation, the construction of new homes remains significantly below the country's actual needs. In 2024, only 7,427 houses were completed across the island. A year later, out of 10,795 homes planned by authorities, only 2,382 were finished, representing just 22% of the target.
Unable to reverse the housing deficit, authorities have turned to temporary solutions. These include converting over 3,500 shipping containers into modular homes for Havana. The first two units were delivered this past May, although experts warn that these structures can reach extreme temperatures in the tropical climate and fail to address the underlying causes of the crisis.
The situation is particularly visible in Old Havana, one of the municipalities most affected by urban decay. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, the area retains hundreds of historic buildings, some dating back to the 16th century. Many now have cracked facades, collapsed roofs, and structures so deteriorated that the sky is visible through them.
For families who have been waiting years for a solution, government statistics and plans mean little against their daily reality. "This is not a life," summed up one of the mothers surviving with her children in the gym-turned-shelter.
Understanding the Cuban Housing Crisis
What is the current housing deficit in Cuba?
The housing deficit in Cuba exceeds 900,000 homes, with many residential buildings in critical or poor condition.
How has the housing crisis affected families in Havana?
Families in Havana, like those living in a boxing gym, face precarious living conditions with inadequate shelter, exposure to dampness, and lack of government support.
What temporary solutions have been proposed by Cuban authorities?
Cuban authorities have proposed converting shipping containers into modular homes, although these do not address the root causes of the housing crisis.