Neighborhood groups from Cuesta Brava and Arroyo Manzano have brought to the open the irregularities in the issuing of government permits. The Ministry of Environment cleared the construction with the issuing of an Environmental Impact Permit for the construction of the Balcones del Cerro (43,000 square meters) and Balcones de la Rivera (18,894 sq meters) apartment projects in northern National District.
The constructions are going up along the Arroyo Manzano green belt area where no commercial entities and only single homes are permitted, according to the National District planning documents that go as far back as 1993 during the last government of the late President Joaquin Balaguer. Balaguer’s legacy left several large green areas – National Botanical Garden, National Zoo, Mirador del Norte, Mirador del Sur, Mirador del Este parks.
The new apartment projects are developed by Constructora Danny Santos Compres SRL, whose main shareholder is Danny Israel Santos Compres who holds the position of Vice Minister of Construction at the Ministry of Housing and Building since 2021. He was not available for an interview with Alicia Ortega. Instead, he requested questions be sent in advance.
The Constructora Danny Santos Compres company general manager sent the journalist a document answering several questions and stating that the developer had all its permits for the development of the 19,000 square meters for the Balcones de la Rivera and 43,000 square meters Balcones del Cerro apartment complexes. The development calls for the construction of around 450 apartments. The developers are promoting the sale of the apartments online.
Constructora Danny Santos Compres SRL did not respond to inquiries regarding the claims of irregularities by the neighborhood groups.
Euren Cuevas, who is executive director of the Instituto de Abogados para la Protección del Medio Ambiente (Insaproma), and is the lawyer for the Cuesta Brava neighborhood says the environmental impact application was “a farce.” He said it appears that those who prepared the environmental report used data from another study to present the information for the signing of the Minister of Environment. The study says the area was sugar cane and cattle ranching land, near the Nigua River, when the neighbors present photos of dense forestry in the area.
Ministry of Environment has ordered the temporary stop of the construction as it is reviewing the permit issued. The Minister of Environment was not available for interviewing, explaining the case is under investigation.
The Vice Minister of Housing has not been available for comment.
The Cuesta Brava complaints come at a time when the Ministry of Environment has just launched the UN Geo-2024 Report that warns of the environmental threats impacting green areas. The report raises red flags about the country’s escalating environmental challenges — including desertification, land degradation, and water scarcity.
Read more in Spanish:
El Informe con Alicia Ortega
Brick Apple Realty
Diario Libre
Instagram
Costa Verde DR
Noticias SIN
Ministry of Environment
21 August 2025