PROPERTY · CUBA
Key Facts
- —The country Cuba is a one-party communist state in the Caribbean under US sanctions, with a large emigrant community in the United States.
- —Why it matters For decades, Cubans who emigrated could lose their homes to the state. The Cuba housing law ends that confiscation and lets owners hold up to two homes.
- —Why now Law 187 was published in the Official Gazette on Wednesday 14 October 2026 and takes effect seven days later, on Wednesday 21 October.
- —What happened The National Assembly approved the law on Thursday 30 July. It replaces the General Housing Law of 1988 with 190 articles in 16 chapters.
- —The numbers Cuba’s official housing deficit exceeds 900,000 homes. Owners may hold two homes plus one declared holiday home, and sales must be paid through banks, not cash.
- —What it means for you Cuban Americans no longer lose a family home by emigrating. US sanctions still generally bar US persons from buying or leasing property in Cuba without OFAC authorisation.
- —Still open How the rules apply to foreigners without permanent residence, and how fast notaries and housing offices will process sales, remain unclear.
- —Power Index Cuba ranks 14th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 22.5 points (October 2026 edition).
The Cuba housing law published on Wednesday 14 October 2026 ends the confiscation of homes owned by Cubans who emigrate. Law 187 also lets individuals own up to two homes and takes effect on Wednesday 21 October.
That matters for the large Cuban community in the United States, many of whom left family homes behind. US sanctions, however, still limit what Americans can do with property on the island.
What the Cuba Housing Law Changes
The National Assembly of People’s Power, Cuba’s single-party legislature, approved the text on Thursday 30 July. The Official Gazette carried it in its ordinary edition 86 on Wednesday, alongside three implementing decrees.
The law replaces Law 65, the General Housing Law of 1988, which nine decree-laws and 127 supplementary rules had amended. The new text has 190 articles in 16 chapters covering construction, use, upkeep and transfer of homes.
Marvelis Velázquez Reyes, the Construction Ministry’s housing legal director, presented the law to the press, the state site Cubadebate reported. She said individuals may now own two homes, plus a holiday home already declared as such in the deed.
She also said Cubans living abroad keep these rights and that confiscation of homes for leaving the country is abolished. The independent outlet 14ymedio confirmed that the final text ends the confiscation of emigrants’ homes.
Foreigners may also hold title to up to two homes under the same obligations as Cuban citizens, according to Velázquez Reyes. She said this applies even to foreigners who do not live in Cuba.
The law also opens home building to private small and medium firms, real estate agencies, housing cooperatives and worker brigades. Cubadebate said cooperatives may receive state land, with ground-floor businesses helping to fund building maintenance.
Sales, Limits and Abandoned Homes
Sales, swaps and donations must be signed before a notary in the province where the property stands. Payment must go through banks or other non-cash methods, the independent news site CiberCuba reported after reading the text.
Buyer and seller agree the price, and the tax base becomes that price if it equals or exceeds the cadastral value. The outlet 14ymedio reported both points from the published law.
Anyone found over the two-home limit can lose the most recently acquired property by decision of the municipal housing office. Abandoned homes declared in ruins can be reassigned, but only after a court ruling requested by local authorities.
Living abroad alone is not grounds for losing a home, CiberCuba noted. Owners who will be absent must, however, name a representative to act for them in emergencies and legal matters.
Legitimate occupants, paying usufructuaries and certain tenants or their heirs have five years to request ownership, 14ymedio reported. Those who miss the deadline become tenants of a state-owned home.
What It Means for You
For Cuban Americans, the main change is that emigrating no longer costs a family its home. Homes the state took under earlier rules are not automatically returned, and pending cases continue under the old rules, CiberCuba reported.
US sanctions remain a separate barrier for Americans. The US Treasury’s sanctions office, OFAC, says people subject to US jurisdiction generally may not buy or lease property in Cuba.
Authorised travellers may rent accommodation only for the length of an authorised stay. Some US entities authorised to operate in Cuba, and staff domiciled there, may buy or lease property under a general licence.
Anyone with a family property question should take advice from a lawyer in Cuba and a US sanctions specialist. Our guide Moving to Cuba 2026, Step by Step explains residency rules, and our Havana city guide covers the capital.
For background on who holds power, see Raúl Castro in 2026, Cuba’s Government Explained. Our report Cuba People Daily Life Under the Embargo describes the conditions in which the new law takes effect.
Why Cuba Is Changing Its Housing Rules
Cuba’s official housing deficit is above 900,000 homes, Cubadebate reported in March during public consultation on the draft. The two-home limit was already drawing debate then, and Velázquez Reyes said it answered a demand from the population.
The final Cuba housing law takes effect after seven days rather than the 90 days set in the June draft, 14ymedio noted. The outlet linked the faster timetable to the government’s urgency to lift a struggling economy.
The law keeps the state’s leading role in housing policy and in protecting vulnerable groups, 14ymedio noted. Private builders and cooperatives join that framework without replacing the powers of public housing offices.
What Is Not Known
It is not clear how the rules will apply to foreigners who do not live in Cuba. The March draft covered foreigners with permanent residence, and CiberCuba read the final Article 3 the same way.
It is also unknown how quickly notaries, property registries and housing offices will handle sales and inheritance claims. Nor is it clear whether Washington will issue guidance on how the law interacts with US sanctions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cuba’s new housing law change?
It ends the confiscation of homes for emigrating and lets individuals own up to two homes plus a declared holiday home. It also opens home building to private firms, real estate agencies and cooperatives.
When does the Cuba housing law take effect?
Law 187 was published in the Official Gazette on 14 October 2026. It takes effect seven days later, on Wednesday 21 October.
Can Cubans living in the United States keep their homes in Cuba?
Yes, the law ends confiscation of homes for leaving the country, and officials say Cubans abroad keep their property rights. Homes taken under earlier rules are not automatically returned.
Can Americans buy a house in Cuba under the new law?
US sanctions generally bar people subject to US jurisdiction from buying or leasing property in Cuba without OFAC authorisation. The Cuban law does not change those US rules.
Can foreigners own property in Cuba now?
A Construction Ministry official said foreigners may hold up to two homes, even without living in Cuba. The March draft limited this to permanent residents, so the details remain to be confirmed.
Sources: Cubadebate, Law 187 published (14 October 2026) · 14ymedio, end of confiscation of emigrants’ homes (14 October 2026) · CiberCuba, 12 aspects for emigrants (14 October 2026) · OFAC, Cuba sanctions FAQ 799 · Cubadebate, draft law interview (30 March 2026)
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error