The government is working on a bill that would drastically and effectively prohibit Dominicans from settling in areas near rivers. Joaquin Geronimo, director of the National Institute of Housing (INVI) told the press that a mass effort to build prefabricated houses for those most affected will be carried out by the INVI. He estimated at 170,000 the affected houses of which 48,000 need total reconstruction, or 10% of the total of Dominican homes. He said the bill will be submitted to Congress soon as nothing is achieved with relocating the families that reside in the river sides in cities and rural areas, if these areas are occupied again. This includes the areas of Mesopotamia in San Juan de la Maguana and the Ozama and Isabela river sides in the National District that will be converted into an ecological park area.
