Casablanca Criticized for Renting City-Owned Villas at Shockingly Low Rates

In a letter addressed to the Casablanca municipality, the regional office of the association draws the attention of the local authorities to the fact that several municipal properties, including villas, are rented at derisory prices of 250 dirhams per month.

This lack of valorization of municipal properties results in significant losses of resources for the city, adds the association, which calls on the authorities to enhance these properties, review their rents, and sign proper contracts with the tenants. The association also invites the Casablanca municipality to conduct a census and classification of municipal properties, and to implement a new management and preservation system for these assets.

In a statement to Aljarida24, Karim Glaibi, vice-president of the Ain Sebaâ district council and member of the Casablanca city council, said that according to a study commissioned by the former city council, the city owns more than 14,000 properties, the rental of which could generate 4 billion dirhams for the municipality. These significant resources would allow the municipality to carry out development projects.

The local elected official specifies that in application of the instructions of Wali Mohamed Mhidia, who asked to enhance the city’s assets in preparation for the summer season, Mayor Nabila Raimi has already sent a letter to the owners of these properties to invite them to revise the amount of rents.