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Taotao Tano: Return revoked homestead permits
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Posted on Sep 24 2008
A citizen group has accused the Department of Public Lands of illegally revoking homestead permits in Kagman.
Taotao Tano president Gregorio Cruz Jr. in a letter to the Department of Public Lands, said the agency has “misinterpreted the law” and must return all permits revoked in the past years to the homesteaders.
At the center of Cruz’s argument is a 2004 law barring DPL from revoking homestead permits if the homestead lots don’t have public water, power, and sewer services available. Cruz pointed to the case of the Kagman homesteads, which have no public sewer network.
“We urge the Department of Public Lands to refrain further from revoking homesteads that do not have adequate infrastructure such as power, water, and sewer as provided by law and return all those homesteads previously revoked immediately to the original and rightful Northern Marianas descent homesteaders,” Cruz said.
But Manuel Rabauliman, director of DPL’s Homestead Division, said the agency has to revoke permits to make sure the homestead lots are put to good use, and not left idle.
Under the law, a homestead recipient must build a house and occupy it within two years after the homestead permit is issued. The law also requires the homesteader to continue occupying that house throughout the third year. Homesteaders who meet the requirements receive a compliance certificate and quitclaim deed, and those who fail to comply have their permits revoked.
“If people don’t comply, we have to revoke their permits. We can’t allow them to hold on to the land. There is a lot of pending applicants,” Rabauliman said.
The residential homestead program was created to assist needy residents to purchase homes and lots in order construct safe and decent housing. DPL also administers the agricultural homestead program, which allows eligible applicants a sizable lot for the development and maintenance of farms crops.
