Tangier residents warn of collapse risks as downpours batter old city

Heavy rainfall in Tangier has renewed fears among residents of the city’s historic medina over the condition of aging homes and buildings at risk of collapse, particularly in densely populated and high-traffic areas.

Concerns have intensified in recent days as municipal councilors warned about the deteriorating state of several structures in neighborhoods including Khosafat, the Kasbah and other parts of the old city, where weakened buildings pose a threat to residents and neighboring homes.

Said Choukri, head of the Tangier Observatory for the Protection of the Environment and Historical Heritage, described the situation as alarming, especially for buildings classified as part of the city’s architectural heritage.

“These collapsing or near-collapse structures represent a direct danger to human life and property, and a real threat to Tangier’s historical memory and identity,” Choukri told Hespress AR.

He said some buildings are deliberately left neglected while owners wait for them to collapse, clearing the way for new real estate projects.

At the same time, he added, low-income families are forced to live in unsafe homes because they cannot afford restoration or repair costs.

Choukri called for “exceptional interventions,” including expropriation in the public interest or the creation of a dedicated fund to rescue and restore endangered homes.

He also criticized what he described as the slow pace of action despite the seriousness of the risks.

Addressing the issue requires an urgent and coordinated response, he said, including decisive measures, effective coordination among stakeholders and dedicated funding, “before human tragedies occur and irreplaceable architectural heritage is lost.”

For his part, civil society activist Youssef Chabaa Al-Hadari said the issue of unsafe housing in Tangier has seen notable progress in recent years, particularly through a royal program to rehabilitate and restore the old city.

He said the initiative helped rehabilitate several historic landmarks, including the Islamic Charity complex, which was converted into the Ibn Battuta Museum, as well as the restoration of Dar el Baroud  and other neglected sites that have since been transformed into cultural institutions.

Al-Hadari expressed hope that the second phase of the rehabilitation program will address the remaining buildings at risk of collapse, while urging authorities to give special attention to historic sites that continue to suffer from neglect.

Among them, he cited the Vidal Palace, calling for its restoration and conversion into a cultural space that could enhance the medina’s profile, similar to the Ibn Battuta Museum. He also stressed the need to rehabilitate Riad Sultan, a historic site that once operated as a restaurant and hosted film productions, saying its restoration could unlock significant cultural and tourism potential for the city.