CRIM Launches Project to Identify 55,521 Ownerless Properties Across Puerto Rico

There are 55,521 properties registered in Puerto Rico's land records with no identified owner -- and the Centro de Recaudación de Ingresos Municipales (CRIM) is finally doing something about it. The agency announced it will launch a pilot project in August to track down the owners of these phantom parcels and get them back on the tax rolls, with a goal of generating up to $25 million in municipal revenue within the first year ¹.

The project comes at a time when municipalities are fighting for every penny. It is one of several strategies approved by the Fiscal Oversight Board to inject fresh funding into municipal governments without relying on central government transfers.

The Numbers That Matter

The scope of the problem is significant. Of the 55,521 properties with no known owner, the hardest-hit municipalities are:

• San Juan: 3,797 properties
• Ponce: 2,527 properties
• Utuado: 1,762 properties

These are thousands of lots, homes, and structures that currently generate zero property tax revenue. For municipalities like Utuado, which already faces serious fiscal challenges, recovering that income could mean the difference between maintaining basic services and cutting them.

The Context: Municipalities Under Fiscal Pressure

This project is not happening in a vacuum. Mayors from both the PNP and PPD are in the middle of a battle to defend their right to charge construction fees on federally funded reconstruction projects ². A U.S.-based organization requested a federal investigation alleging misuse of funds -- a charge that mayors from both parties rejected unanimously.

The central government, for its part, chose not to intervene. Francisco Domenech, executive director of AAFAF, said the administration was giving "deference" to municipalities on the matter ². In other words, municipalities are on their own -- which is exactly why every revenue source counts.

What It Means for You

If you own property in Puerto Rico, this affects you in two ways:

If your property is not properly registered, the CRIM could come knocking. The project will cross-reference cadastral data with property records to identify owners. If you inherited a house and never completed the succession process, or bought a lot and never updated the registry, now is a good time to get your paperwork in order before the CRIM does it for you -- and sends you a retroactive bill.

If you are a veteran, you have until July 31 to claim your property tax exemption at the CRIM. The Procurador del Veterano, Agustín Montañez Allman, urged veterans not to miss this deadline ³. The exemption is authorized under Law 203, known as the "Bill of Rights for the 21st-Century Puerto Rican Veteran."

How to Take Action

To check your property status:

• Visit a CRIM office or access their online portal
• Have your cadastral number and property deed on hand
• If you inherited the property, you will need succession documents

For veterans claiming the tax exemption (before July 31):

• Complete CRIM Form AS-38
• Present your DD-214 or proof of honorable service
• Bring your property deed
• Include your VA disability rating certification (if applicable)
• Prove the property is your primary residence
• For guidance: Office of the Procurador del Veterano, 10th floor, Mercantil Plaza, Hato Rey. Phone: (787) 758-7050

What Comes Next

The CRIM pilot project launches in August. If it comes close to the $25 million revenue target, the Fiscal Oversight Board is expected to expand it permanently across all 78 municipalities. For residents, the message is clear: if you own a property and have not registered it, the CRIM is coming to find you. Better to get current now than wait to be found.

Meanwhile, the fight over construction fees on reconstruction projects remains unresolved ², and veterans have only days left to secure their tax exemption ³. These are three distinct fronts, but they all point to the same reality: Puerto Rico's municipalities need money, and they are going to use every tool at their disposal to get it.

Sources: ¹ El Nuevo Día -- Report on the 55,521 ownerless properties and the CRIM project to identify them ² El Nuevo Día -- Coverage of mayors defending construction fee collection on reconstruction projects ³ El Vocero -- Procurador del Veterano's call for veterans to claim property tax exemption at CRIM