Housing in Honduras

According to the June 2024 EPHPM, Honduras had 2,600,640 housing units, 2,624,033 households, and 9,898,279 inhabitants. A household contained an average of 3.8 people. 95.1% of the housing units were individual houses (casa individual), 3.0% were rooms in a mesón (cuarto en mesón) or rooming houses (cuartería), 1.6% were apartments, and 0.4% were other forms such as improvised houses, barracones, or buildings used for residential purposes. A total of 67.9% of households occupied a fully paid-for home they owned, 17.8% rented, 3.6% were still paying for a home they owned, and 9.1% used a home that was prestada or cedida sin pago. Other forms include accommodation provided in exchange for work, invasión, or ocupación with or without subsequent legalisation. Ownership is particularly dominant in rural areas, while the rental share is higher in cities. Housing quality varies according to location and infrastructure. A total of 7.5% of households lived in overcrowded conditions; the share was 6.7% in urban areas and 8.5% in rural areas. Water supply was inadequate for 6.3% and sanitation for 6.8%. Electricity access existed for 90.7% of households, but public waste collection reached only 46.5%. These figures describe households at national level and do not replace an inspection of the individual housing unit, plot, or municipal services. Anyone renting an apartment or house enters into a written contract and has it registered with the Department of Tenancy Administration (Departamento Administrativo de Inquilinato), known as DAI, of the Secretariat of Governance, Justice and Decentralisation (Secretaría de Gobernación, Justicia y Descentralización). The DAI provides advice, registers tenancy agreements, carries out inspections, handles rent determinations and increases or decreases, and offers conciliation. Offices exist particularly in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, and Santa Rosa de Copán; the specific jurisdiction should be checked at the place of residence. Statutory tenant rights under the Tenancy Law (Ley de Inquilinato), Decree 50 of 1966, cannot be effectively waived by contract. If the agreement is not registered, the landlord risks a penalty equal to one month’s rent. The deposit is governed by the contract and is often equal to one or two months’ rent. At the end of the contract, it must be returned after deducting documented damage and outstanding rent or service payments. Tenants pay the agreed rent on time, use the home as stipulated in the contract, and do not sublet it without permission. Alterations also require the necessary consent. Payment receipts and messages should be kept. If the landlord refuses to accept the rent, a rent deposit procedure (consignación) with the DAI or the competent court may be considered. A tenant who is up to date with payments generally ends the tenancy by giving written notice at least 60 days in advance. A landlord may end the tenancy only on statutory grounds, including, among other things, arrears of two months’ rent followed by an additional eight-day period, as well as personal need, construction work, or unavoidable repairs. Such structural grounds typically require three months’ notice. A landlord may not enforce termination by changing the locks or cutting off water or electricity without authorisation. After an unsuccessful conciliation at the DAI, proceedings may continue before the Tenancy Court (Juzgado de Letras de Inquilinato) through desahucio or lanzamiento. For rented apartments, condominiums, and rooming houses, the health authority ARSA requires a health licence (Licencia Sanitaria) and inspection. The licence is valid for one year; for a complete application, the statutory processing rule sets a target of no more than ten days. For multi-unit properties, in addition to tenancy registration, it should therefore be checked which health and operational documents are required at the location. When buying real estate, the typical process runs from viewing and the purchase agreement through the notary to the public deed (escritura pública) and then registration with the Property Institute (Instituto de la Propiedad), particularly in the Property Registry (Registro de la Propiedad). Documents for registration include, among other things, the deed, proof of the registration fee, payment of the transfer tax (Impuesto de Tradición), and, where applicable, the capital gains tax (Ganancia de Capital). Before payment, the buyer should check the registered title history (antecedente registral), the certificate of no encumbrances (libertad de gravamen), the cadastral certificate or status (constancia o situación catastral), and the current status of municipal property tax. A cadastral extract alone proves neither ownership nor possession. The DGR, Catastro, and the SURE system support verification and registration. In condominiums, the horizontal property regime (propiedad horizontal) is created by public deed and registration; common parts and shared services remain connected to the individual units. For informal possession situations, DGRP land regularisation (DGRP-Regularización Predial) may, depending on the area and documents, involve procedures such as consolidación or presunción de dominio útil, necesidad pública, or prescripción. Such an examination does not automatically lead to a title of ownership. Cadastral records, taxes, infrastructure, and the practical work of authorities differ between municipalities and departments. BANHPROVI offers verified financing routes for social housing (vivienda social) up to 1.3 million lempiras at 4% annually and for mid-market housing (vivienda media) up to 4 million lempiras at 7% annually. Depending on the programme, required documents may include a DNI, proof of employment or deductions, proof of lacking real-estate ownership or the cadastral status, a housing sketch, proof of utilities, bank records covering up to twelve months, a promise of sale and purchase (promesa de compra-venta), a deed, paid property tax, project coordinates, plans, an investment plan, and a valuation (Avalúo). Calculators provide for terms from one to 30 years. Compliance with the document requirements guarantees neither admission to a programme nor loan approval. SEDESOL and PVAH coordinate government housing policy and programmes. A uniform nationwide general housing subsidy was not confirmed in the sources reviewed; access and eligibility depend on the particular programme and target group. Foreign buyers are subject under Article 107 of the Constitution to restrictions in border and coastal zones within 40 kilometres and on islands. Decree 90-90 (Decreto 90-90) provides a limited exception route for existing or planned urban homes up to a maximum of 3,000 m², generally for one property and, for new construction, with a maximum period of 36 months. A lawyer’s review of the title is mandatory.