GAM urges citizens to report capital’s derelict buildings

AMMAN — Amman residents are requested to report derelict buildings to prevent them from becoming safety hazards and locations for illegal activities, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) said on Saturday.

There are hundreds of abandoned buildings spread across the capital's 22 districts, GAM Executive Director of Districts Emad Dmour said, noting that the municipality needs the community’s help to identify them. 

"Work is under way to pin down the number of abandoned buildings across Amman. They are estimated to be in the hundreds; therefore, the public is requested to help by contacting the municipality and reporting abandoned buildings," Dmour told The Jordan Times.

The majority of the abandoned buildings are located in Amman's old neighbourhoods, such as Jabal Amman, Jabal Luweibdeh, Jabal Al Hussein and downtown, according to Dmour, who said that people usually desert their properties when they emigrate, or because the property is shared by a number of inheritors.

"Regardless of the reason, owners of abandoned buildings must fence off their properties or demolish them if they are old and likely to collapse," the official highlighted.

GAM teams are working on locating derelict buildings and contacting their owners in order to seal them, he said, highlighting that, after inspecting the properties, the teams request their owners to demolish the buildings if they are found to be collapsing.

"If owners don’t heed to our instructions, the municipality fences off the deserted building and charges its owner," Dmour explained.

GAM officials said in previous statements that deserted houses have become a public health hazard and a haven for "inappropriate behaviour", prompting many residents' complaints.

In November 2014, a reported rape attempt was said to have taken place at an abandoned building between the 4th and 5th circles in Jabal Amman.

The majority of the properties were built some 70 to 80 years ago, according to GAM.

The municipality established several contact channels for the public to report abandoned buildings as well as violations and complaints.

They include an application on android phones, an e-mail address (shakawi.dwn@ammancity.gov.jo), a Facebook page (cityofamman), Twitter account (@GAMtweets), and emergency numbers; 06/5359971, 06/5359970. Text messages can be sent to 94444, GAM explained.