La Goulette’s Decaying Buildings Pose a Growing Threat

Source: La Presse

A Neighborhood in Decline

Like many districts of Greater Tunis, La Goulette is increasingly lined with aging structures that have become hazardous for both residents and the public space. Recent torrential rains have only highlighted the obvious danger.

Some buildings appear on the brink of collapse, while the intervention of the competent authorities proves extremely complex. For longtime locals, mentioning the Petite Sicile quarter in La Goulette instantly conjures images of ruined houses paradoxically still inhabited by people who refuse to leave.

The deterioration stems mainly from the old age of the constructions and a chronic lack—or total absence—of maintenance. Squatting and absentee owners, often living abroad, further impede any intervention, leaving walls to sway under the weight of time.

32 Buildings Threatened with Ruin, Municipality Under Pressure

According to information obtained by La Presse from municipal authorities, a preliminary inventory of ruin‑threatening buildings in La Goulette identified 32 structures that pose a serious risk to occupants and the surrounding public space.

21 of these have undergone in‑depth inspections by a tripartite commission comprising representatives from the Ministry of Equipment, the municipality, and the Institute of Heritage.
Following the inspections, 11 evacuation orders were issued.
Only one demolition has been carried out so far: a ruin‑threatening building opposite the Fort de la Goulette (El Karraka) on Avenue Habib Bourguiba. Its removal erased a whole slice of La Goulette’s history—a structure that could have been saved or restored, but lack of early action made demolition the sole option.

For another building slated for demolition, a judicial expert has been appointed to supervise the operation, with an official decision expected soon.

12 additional judicial experts are being designated to assess twelve more buildings, deciding whether they will be demolished or repaired. These operations require meticulous coordination to avoid endangering neighboring structures, which are often situated very close together.
Eight other dilapidated edifices have been placed under temporary safety measures, such as barrier installations to prevent falling balconies or other fragile elements, thereby protecting pedestrians and residents.

Municipal Challenges

A municipal official explained that the new law on ruin‑threatening constructions places full responsibility on municipalities, which frequently lack sufficient financial and logistical resources. They must hire costly experts and cannot afford to carry out demolitions themselves.

Complicating matters further, occupants are often not the owners, and locating the owners—many of whom reside abroad—proves difficult, diluting accountability and slowing official action.

Specialists consulted suggest revising the law to allow better‑equipped, more competent authorities to intervene in place of municipalities, thereby safeguarding residents while preserving neighboring buildings and architectural heritage.

A further major challenge concerns the social situation of the occupants: some buildings are squatted or house vulnerable families who need social support. Addressing this dimension requires the mobilization of multiple actors at regional and national levels to balance safety, heritage protection, and social assistance, according to a local official in La Goulette.

Implementing the Law Remains Complex

Law No. 2024‑33 of 28 June 2024 on ruin‑threatening buildings defines the conditions, procedures, and actors involved in:

Evacuating and heavily restoring such structures,
Demolishing and rebuilding them,
Expropriating them when necessary,
Preventing danger while guaranteeing the rights of owners, tenants, or occupants, and maintaining public order.

The law also sets out the framework for large‑scale reconstruction, renovation, repair, and urban rehabilitation projects.

Definition (Law): “A ruin‑threatening building is any building or part of a building, regardless of its condition, vacant or occupied, that a field inspection and technical expertise (as stipulated in Chapter 2) have determined to be at risk of collapse and dangerous to its occupants, neighbors, third parties, or public and private property, requiring intervention for heavy restoration or total/partial demolition based on a technical expert report.”

Practical Difficulties

Relocating affected families,
High renovation costs,
Heritage protection requirements, and
Coordination among municipalities, governorates, ministries, and owners

make interventions especially delicate.

Article 5 obliges owners to report the condition of a ruin‑threatening building, an obligation most owners ignore.

Article 21 requires owners, after receiving an evacuation decision, to compensate good‑faith occupants within three months:

One year’s rent for residential or public‑administrative premises,
Four years’ rent for professional premises and commercial businesses, calculated according to local rates.

In many cases, owners cannot be identified or located, further complicating enforcement.

When owners are absent, inactive, or refuse compensation, the municipality must pay occupants based on the prevailing local rent, as stipulated by Article 21.

A Critical Question

Does the municipality actually have the financial means to provide such compensation? The answer is clearly no. While criticism often targets municipal services, responsibility is shared with ministerial bodies and the owners themselves. Beyond technical issues, this is also a social problem, according to an anonymous municipal official.

Abandonment, Land Speculation, and Social Uncertainty

Beyond statistics and procedures, La Goulette now faces a pressing reality: a heritage that crumbles and residents living in limbo, caught between fear and uncertainty. The municipality, positioned on the front line, cannot shoulder alone a dossier that intertwines public safety, land justice, heritage preservation, and social urgency.

The stakes exceed local competencies and demand a coordinated national response involving relevant ministries, owners, and competent social structures. Behind every cracked façade are lives at risk and a historic neighborhood that threatens to disappear stone by stone.

The moment calls for clear, concerted, and accountable action from all stakeholders.

Underlying Issues

Opaque practices: Some buildings appear deliberately abandoned while land prices soar in La Goulette.
Complex legal situations: Over decades, tenants may have altered their status under conditions that need clarification.

These factors argue for the opening of a comprehensive investigation to establish responsibilities and illuminate the “grey zones.”

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