The phenomenon has even acquired a name within the sector: the “dead pool.” These are spaces that still exist in buildings, appear on plans and in real estate listings, but remain unused because the condominium cannot afford the costs required by the regulation to enable them.
The pressure is not only economic. Administrators also face a legal dilemma. Keeping the pool open without licensed lifeguards can lead to severe fines and civil liabilities. However, complying with the law means passing on costs that many owners and tenants consider directly unfeasible.
Coppari insisted on the lack of reasonable criteria within the regulation: “They should have provided a definition by size. There are buildings with pools of 2 by 2 meters that have to hire a lifeguard.”
Meanwhile, uncertainty grows as the next season approaches. Administrators are calling for an urgent review of the law to prevent the number of closed pools from continuing to rise.
In the current context, the unusual regulation promoted by Kicillof's Government not only generates rejection due to its rigidity but also because of the enormous cost to the pockets of the residents of Buenos Aires.
