Conflicts regarding the ownership and use of green areas in Santo Domingo have grown ?to alarming levels,? according to Citizenship Participation, a civic group, which claims to receive 50 to 60 complaints a day. They are hearing of threats, law suits, falsification of documents, paid involvement by public officials, and a disregard of existing law. More over, the complaints suggest that when municipal authorities do intervene in the conflicts, as often as not it is on the side of the ?usurpers.? Worse still are reports that the city has actually sold green areas to private parties ?at laughable prices.? The problem arises from the way in which developers manage the 9% of each new neighborhood that, by law, must be set aside as ?a green area.? Title to these lands is typically not given to residents once the project has been completed. Often they become parking lots, automobile graveyards, or commercial strips. Disputes over the title to these areas and the improper uses to which they have been put usually end up in court. According to Jose Ceballos, who coordinates green areas issues for Citizenship Participation, no help is forthcoming from City Hall. The group has succeeded, however, in organizing a meeting for November 25, which will bring together municipal authorities with the District Attorney and Police and complaining neighborhoods.
