Residents of the Jardines del Sur housing development in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Oaxaca, protested at the offices of the National Housing Fund for Workers (Infonavit) on Wednesday, demanding removal from the “Hipoteca con Servicios” (Mortgage with Services) program. The protesters allege automatic deductions through the program are not being used for the maintenance and services of their community.
Led by Julio César Alonso, president of the Jardines del Sur homeowners association, residents claim funds deducted for the program are retained by the real estate company and are not reflected in improvements to the area. According to the protesters, the deductions are automatically taken from their paychecks.
Residents further allege that, on multiple occasions, these deducted amounts have been applied to the principal of their mortgages instead of covering maintenance fees, leading to requests for additional payments to cover the services. This, they say, results in double payments. “We are demanding a solution and our exit from the program,” Alonso stated, according to reports.
The protest comes amid broader complaints regarding Infonavit’s service, with some residents describing the treatment as “humiliating” and citing excessive bureaucracy. Earlier this week, a separate group of residents from Jardines del Sur voiced similar grievances, accusing Infonavit officials of intimidation and conflicts of interest, specifically naming Arturo Cervantes, the regional technical manager, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Zona Roja Oaxaca.
On March 6th, Primera Línea reported that residents described the current situation as “the worst service in the history of Infonavit,” citing excessive bureaucracy and a lack of transparency. The complaints center on the “Hipoteca con Servicios” program, with residents alleging that maintenance fees are being retained by the institute and given to unknown property management companies.
However, a Facebook post from Red Informativa Oaxaqueña Noticias on March 7th indicated that an agreement was reached between the residents of Jardines del Sur and Infonavit, with Julio César Alonso thanking the federal agency’s delegate for the attention given to their concerns. The details of the agreement were not immediately available.
As of Thursday, March 7th, Infonavit has not issued a public statement addressing the specific allegations made by the residents of Jardines del Sur, nor have they responded to requests for comment regarding the reported agreement.
