In times of Airbnb and real estate projects that compete with each other, pensionsthose small accommodation spaces that are used to spend the night from a night, a week or until years, are still an option of low cost for a sector of the population that demands them.
A room in one pensionin most cases, it only has one bed and a fanbeing the latter one of the few comforts they offer.
Julio Sánchez is a client of a pension in the Avenida Father Castellanos. For him, they are places that resolve issues To many people. “I am five years in this pension. It does not have all the comfort one wants, but at least it is a place where Sleep sure And without getting wet, “he said.
The pensions They differ from a APARTA ESTUDIO because they do not have kitchenthey lack furniture and services (except water and electricity), there is no commitment to internal cleaning, the price It is the cheapest in the market and are usually available in neighborhoodsnearly markets or popular squares.
They are structures of three and four levels, subdivided inside; some administered and others managed by their owners. Usually, owners are people who live outside the country, in provinces or in the city, but that only charge for the use of their properties.
Most of the pensions are located around markets like the one of the Duarte Avenue; the model, of Mella Avenue; that of Father Castellanos or the 17; San Vicente de Paúlin the mine; in the surroundings of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and the Colonial City.
Its cost
He price It varies depending on the structural and place conditions. In the Avenida Father Castellanos or 17 there are at least six buildings dedicated to pensions. Most lack signs and are the cheapest. For one night, the client can pay between 150 and 250 pesos.
How much is paid?
In other places, as in the surroundings of the Duarte Marketone night can cost between 400 and 450 pesosor in the San Vicente de Paúlin the mine, the price It varies from 400 to 700 pesos a night.
Most have their particular bath and in the case of fans, according to The ownersin some cases they take them away because there are clients who take them.
A young man who refused to give his name commented that he had problems with your family And he decided to leave the house. He says he feels good so far. “He known good people Here, but there are others that are not very good. They last little and leave because they do not fit the boss rules“He said.
There is pensions They have one kitchen And a common fridge, but his price go up to one thousand pesos per day. Some clients prefer to pay every week. If it is more than a day, the price It varies, always towards the drop.
The administrator of one of those buildings, who did not want to be identified, explained that there are customers who pay every day, but there are also those who prefer to do so every weekevery 15 days or monthly.
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The requirements for a person to be accepted are: copy of the card and telephone number of an close person (in case something happens). The contract signature is not customary and, in most cases, the guest is refined to verify that it has no criminal record, which is not drug user or noisy or disrespectful person.
Most are recommended by fixed customers, Quiet people and decent who have friendships or acquaintances who suggest looking room In that place. He investigates where he comes from, if he works and what guarantees payment.
Customers
“Are Chiriperos They sell fruitfood, Cleanwords or foreigners who work under construction. That is the type of people who demand this service, “said the administrator of a pension. He informed that most are older, Dominican men, but there are also many Haitiansand at one time there were Venezuelans, Colombians and, to a lesser extent, Americans.
A common denominator of almost all pensions is that they do not accept women. The reasons, they explain, are the same: ” women They are more problematic than men because Take care of them moreprotect them and are more supported by laws. “
In some pensions They are only allowed women If they accompany the client for one night or a couple of days, not permanent.
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Some buildings are inspected by the Mayor’s Office, which charges arbitration, according to administrators, but also public health supervises.
There is pensions that only house Haitiansas in the case of one in the Avenida Father Castellanoswhere the presence of agents of the General Directorate of Migration in search of undocumented.
Others, like the one that manages Tonya man of Agricultural VillaThey do not accept Haitiansonly Dominicans or other nationalities such as Venezuelans.
When asked why, he replied that they have trouble complying with the rules. “Even if they have their bathroom, they urinate in the common area and They don’t let sleep“He listed among other reasons.
Historically, the pensions are small accommodationsin marginalized locations and of low costthat are offered to private individuals, mainly men who want to live alone and have no roof or family.
For some owners it is a business that, although not so profitableleave benefits for the low cost operational and reduced services offered.
There are no statistics of the amount of pensions that exist in the Great Santo Domingo, nor the construction standards, nor of the services they must offer to users. Each pension is handled as a particular business, without regulations, except special cases. Historically, the authorities have not given importance to that important sector, although some mayors charge taxes to their owners. People live with the basics, and depending on the place or the infrastructure or service conditions, the price can vary.
Most are used by people who are only going to sleep because they spend the day on the street in formal and informal works or are students from provinces who do not have relatives in the city.
