{
  "id": "nexus-ext-1-0007-391143",
  "citation": "Res. 33874-2026 Sala Constitucional",
  "section": "nexus_decisions",
  "doc_type": "constitutional_decision",
  "title_es": "Ejecución municipal de órdenes por construcción ilegal",
  "title_en": "Municipal Enforcement of Orders Against Illegal Construction",
  "summary_es": "La Sala Constitucional tuvo por lesionado el derecho a una justicia pronta y cumplida porque, aunque la Municipalidad de Alajuelita había ordenado suspender y demoler unas construcciones ilegales denunciadas desde 2022, no notificó esa decisión a la recurrente ni ejecutó la demolición. La recurrente alegó filtraciones, aguas residuales y riesgos para la salud, la propiedad y el ambiente. La Sala declaró con lugar el amparo y ordenó a la Municipalidad resolver y notificar la denuncia y, si corresponde, ejecutar la demolición dentro de tres meses.",
  "summary_en": "The Constitutional Chamber (Sala Constitucional) found a violation of the right to prompt and effective justice because, although the Municipality of Alajuelita had ordered the suspension and demolition of illegal construction reported in 2022, it had neither notified the applicant of that decision nor carried out the demolition. The applicant alleged leaks, wastewater, and risks to health, property, and the environment. The Chamber granted the amparo and ordered the Municipality to resolve and notify the complaint and, if appropriate, carry out the demolition within three months.",
  "court_or_agency": "Sala Constitucional",
  "date": "03/09/2026",
  "year": "2026",
  "topic_ids": [],
  "primary_topic_id": null,
  "es_concept_hints": [
    "recurso de amparo",
    "justicia pronta y cumplida",
    "denuncia municipal",
    "clausura",
    "demolición",
    "aguas residuales",
    "filtraciones"
  ],
  "article_citations": [],
  "keywords_es": [
    "amparo ambiental",
    "Municipalidad de Alajuelita",
    "construcción ilegal",
    "aguas residuales",
    "filtraciones",
    "demolición",
    "justicia pronta y cumplida",
    "denuncia municipal"
  ],
  "keywords_en": [
    "environmental amparo",
    "Municipality of Alajuelita",
    "illegal construction",
    "wastewater",
    "leaks",
    "demolition",
    "prompt and effective justice",
    "municipal complaint"
  ],
  "excerpt_es": "Al no tener por acreditado que la recurrente tenga conocimiento del resultado de la gestión planteada ni las fechas en las que finalmente se demolerán las construcciones ilegales, se estima lesionado su derecho a una justicia pronta y cumplida. Por lo anterior, lo procedente es declarar con lugar el recurso.",
  "excerpt_en": "Because it was not established that the applicant knew the outcome of the matter she had raised or the dates on which the illegal constructions would ultimately be demolished, her right to prompt and effective justice is deemed to have been violated. Accordingly, the amparo is to be granted.",
  "outcome": {
    "label_en": "Granted",
    "label_es": "Con lugar",
    "summary_en": "The amparo was granted because the Municipality had not notified or enforced its orders concerning illegal construction; it was ordered to resolve and notify the complaint and, if appropriate, carry out the demolition within three months.",
    "summary_es": "Se declaró con lugar el amparo por la falta de notificación y ejecución de las órdenes municipales relativas a construcciones ilegales; se ordenó resolver y notificar la denuncia y, si procede, ejecutar la demolición en tres meses."
  },
  "pull_quotes": [
    {
      "context": "Considerando VI",
      "quote_en": "Because it was not established that the applicant knew the outcome of the matter she had raised or the dates on which the illegal constructions would ultimately be demolished, her right to prompt and effective justice is deemed to have been violated.",
      "quote_es": "Al no tener por acreditado que la recurrente tenga conocimiento del resultado de la gestión planteada ni las fechas en las que finalmente se demolerán las construcciones ilegales, se estima lesionado su derecho a una justicia pronta y cumplida."
    }
  ],
  "cites": [],
  "cited_by": [],
  "references": {
    "internal": [],
    "external": []
  },
  "source_url": "https://nexuspj.poder-judicial.go.cr/document/ext-1-0007-391143",
  "tier": 2,
  "is_environmental": true,
  "_editorial_citation_count": 0,
  "regulations_by_article": null,
  "amendments_by_article": null,
  "dictamen_by_article": null,
  "concordancias_by_article": null,
  "afectaciones_by_article": null,
  "resoluciones_by_article": null,
  "cited_by_votos": [],
  "cited_norms": [],
  "cited_norms_inverted": [],
  "sentencias_relacionadas": [],
  "temas_y_subtemas": [
    {
      "Subtemas": [
        {
          "id": 1,
          "nombre": "FALTA DE RESPUESTA"
        }
      ],
      "id": 1,
      "nombre": "INFORMACIÓN"
    },
    {
      "Subtemas": [
        {
          "id": 3,
          "nombre": "INFRAESTRUCTURA Y CONDICIONES"
        },
        {
          "id": 1,
          "nombre": "PERMISOS"
        },
        {
          "id": 2,
          "nombre": "DEMOLICION"
        }
      ],
      "id": 2,
      "nombre": "MUNICIPALIDAD"
    }
  ],
  "cascade_only": false,
  "amendment_count": 0,
  "body_es_text": "033874-26. INFORMACIÓN. MUNICIPALIDAD. SE DENUNCIA QUE LA MUNICIPALIDAD DE ALAJUELITA NO RESOLVIÓ DEFINITIVAMENTE UNA DENUNCIA PRESENTADA EN 2022 CONTRA LA CONSTRUCCIÓN ILEGAL DE APARTAMENTOS QUE GENERA FILTRACIONES, AGUAS RESIDUALES Y RIESGOS PARA LA PROPIEDAD, LA SALUD Y EL AMBIENTE. AUNQUE SE ORDENARON LA CLAUSURA Y DEMOLICIÓN DE LAS ESTRUCTURAS, LA DECISIÓN NO FUE NOTIFICADA A LA INTERESADA NI EJECUTADA DURANTE MÁS DE CUATRO AÑOS, EN VIOLACIÓN DEL ARTÍCULO 41 CONSTITUCIONAL. SE DECLARA CON LUGAR Y SE ORDENA RESOLVER Y NOTIFICAR LA DENUNCIA Y, SI PROCEDE, EJECUTAR LA DEMOLICIÓN EN TRES MESES. VCG09/2026\n\n“(…) VI.- SOBRE EL CASO CONCRETO. En el sub lite, la\nrecurrente manifiesta que una construcción de varios apartamentos colindante\ncon su vivienda afecta las bases de su casa y genera problemas relacionados con\naguas residuales, filtraciones y disposición de residuos, con riesgos para la\nsalud y el ambiente. Señala que desde el año 2022 ha presentado diversas\ngestiones ante la Municipalidad de Alajuelita solicitando la intervención\nmunicipal, la paralización y clausura de las obras, su eventual demolición y el\ncierre de ventanas que tienen vista hacia su propiedad. No obstante, acusa que\nsus gestiones no han sido respondidas en forma definitiva y que tampoco se han\nadoptado medidas respecto de la denuncia, por lo que la situación persiste.\n\nAhora bien, a pesar de que es cierto que las\nautoridades de la Municipalidad de Alajuelita, dentro del ámbito de sus\ncompetencias, han realizado algunas actuaciones dirigidas a atender la\nsituación denunciada y emitieron resoluciones ordenando la suspensión y\nposterior demolición de las estructuras, no consta que ésta haya sido\nnotificada a la parte amparada, ni tampoco consta que finalmente se haya\nejecutado la orden de demoler las construcciones ilegales, pese a que las\ndenuncias se remontan al 2022. Al no tener por acreditado que la recurrente\ntenga conocimiento del resultado de la gestión planteada ni las fechas en las\nque finalmente se demolerán las construcciones ilegales, se estima lesionado su\nderecho a una justicia pronta y cumplida. Por lo anterior, lo procedente es\ndeclarar con lugar el recurso. (…)”",
  "body_en_text": "033874-26. INFORMATION. MUNICIPALITY. IT IS ALLEGED THAT THE MUNICIPALITY OF ALAJUELITA DID NOT FINALLY RESOLVE A COMPLAINT FILED IN 2022 ABOUT THE ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION OF APARTMENTS THAT CAUSES LEAKS AND WASTEWATER AND POSES RISKS TO PROPERTY, HEALTH, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. ALTHOUGH CLOSURE AND DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURES WERE ORDERED, THE DECISION WAS NOT NOTIFIED TO THE INTERESTED PARTY OR CARRIED OUT FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS, IN VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONSTITUTION. THE AMPARO APPLICATION IS GRANTED, AND THE MUNICIPALITY IS ORDERED TO RESOLVE AND NOTIFY THE COMPLAINT AND, IF APPROPRIATE, CARRY OUT THE DEMOLITION WITHIN THREE MONTHS. VCG09/2026\n\n“(…) VI.—THE SPECIFIC CASE. In the case at hand, the applicant states that the construction of several apartments adjoining her home affects the foundations of her house and causes problems related to wastewater, leaks, and waste disposal, posing risks to health and the environment. She indicates that since 2022 she has submitted various requests to the Municipality of Alajuelita, seeking municipal intervention, a halt to and closure of the works, their eventual demolition, and the closure of windows that overlook her property. However, she alleges that her requests have not been definitively answered and that no measures have been taken regarding the complaint, so the situation persists.\n\nNow, although it is true that the authorities of the Municipality of Alajuelita, within the scope of their powers, have taken some steps to address the reported situation and issued decisions ordering suspension and subsequent demolition of the structures, there is no evidence that the decision was notified to the amparo applicant, nor is there evidence that the order to demolish the illegal constructions was ultimately carried out, even though the complaints date back to 2022. Since it has not been established that the applicant knows the outcome of the request she submitted or the dates on which the illegal constructions will ultimately be demolished, her right to prompt and effective justice is deemed to have been violated. Accordingly, the amparo application must be granted. (…)”"
}