The municipality of Nabeul, Tunisia, has begun implementing a new law aimed at addressing the growing number of dilapidated buildings posing a threat to public safety. Law n° 2024-33, enacted on June 28, 2024, provides a framework for the evacuation, restoration, or demolition of dangerous structures, while also protecting the rights of property owners and occupants.
Since the summer of 2025, Nabeul’s municipal authorities have processed 11 cases related to buildings at risk of collapse, with seven currently awaiting a court order to appoint an expert assessor, according to municipal officials. The law, mirroring initiatives being adopted by Tunisia’s 349 municipalities, establishes a clear process for identifying and addressing these hazards.
“This represents a revolutionary law!” stated Alaya Kraiem, a deputy director at the Nabeul Municipality. “Article 5 of the text obliges the property owner to report the condition of the building threatening ruin that falls under their responsibility. The obligation to report the condition of the building extends to the tenant, the occupant, and the owners’ association or its representative, if one exists.”
The law also places responsibility on owners to maintain their properties, holding them liable for damages resulting from collapse due to neglect or structural defects, as outlined in Article 4. The process begins with a preliminary assessment by municipal agents, including civil engineers or architects, working in coordination with regional and national housing and heritage authorities. This initial inspection results in a report detailing the building’s condition and outlining urgent preventative measures, including potential immediate evacuation if a serious and imminent danger is identified.
Following the initial assessment, the municipality seeks a court order within seven days to appoint a judicial expert specializing in reinforced concrete and structural engineering. The expert has ten days to submit a preliminary report determining whether immediate evacuation is necessary, and a maximum of one month to deliver a comprehensive report outlining the building’s condition, proposed preventative measures, and recommendations for either evacuation and demolition, partial or complete, or extensive restoration.
In cases of imminent danger, the municipality is authorized to issue an immediate evacuation order, coordinating with local and regional authorities to provide temporary housing for those displaced. The law allows for a 15-day extension of the ten-day expert review period if the building requires substantial restoration and complex technical solutions, according to Article 8.
Evacuation orders are formally notified to owners, tenants, and occupants via registered mail, public posting at the town hall and the building itself, and publication in the official municipal journal. Copies of the initial assessment and expert report are made available for review at the municipality. Decisions regarding demolition or major restoration are also communicated through the same channels.
The Nabeul municipality has allocated 100,000 Tunisian dinars for managing these cases and funding restoration or demolition work. The implementation of this law follows a broader national concern regarding aging infrastructure, with reports indicating nearly 2,000 buildings across Tunisia are considered at risk of collapse, including approximately 1,000 in Tunis alone, according to a December 2025 report by Le Temps News. The law aims to balance public safety with the potential for real estate speculation, a concern raised by officials like Moncef Soudani, director of Habitat Improvement at the Ministry of Equipment and Housing.
In La Goulette, a district of Tunis, 32 buildings have been identified as posing a risk, with 11 undergoing detailed inspections, and 11 evacuation orders issued as of February 23, 2026. One building facing the Fort de la Goulette El Karraka has already been demolished.
