Sometimes in Rio, I feel like I’m on the cusp of something great. The city is making a huge effort to improve in the face of its current limelight. Consultants are being brought in to aid security. Unidade de Polícia Pacificadoras (UPPs) are being established to reduce the number of violent deaths occurring in the favelas. Infrastructure is being built and expanded upon to accommodate the impending influx of tourists. I’m on board for all these things!
Construction in the Northeast
What I cannot accept, however, is part of the 2009-2012 Strategic Plan proposed by the administration of Mayor Eduardo Paes that calls for the reduction of 1.6 million square meters currently occupied by favelas. Equivalent in size to two Rocinhas (the largest favela in Rio), 1.6 million square meters is approximately 3.5% of favela area in Rio. In order to reach the goal in this strategic plan, a portion of favela Tabajaras containing 500 families is already on the chopping block.
To alleviate public sentiment concerning these removals, the Federal Government is investing approximately R$ 6 billion (only 4 billion USD) for the construction of new homes through the Minha Casa Minha Vida (My House My Life) project.
The Minha Casa Minha Vida project seems great as it proposes to build between 400,000 and one million houses throughout Brazil for those earning a salary under minimum wage. Hoping to alleviate part of the huge housing deficit in Brazil, this program favors low interest rates and subsidies to obtain financing.
Houses on Morro dos Tabajaras, behind Cemetery São João Batista
Currently, Brazil has an estimated housing shortage of between 8 and 10 million. The majority of this demand is coming from the northeast of Brazil where the economy is growing at a rate of twice as fast as the rest of the country.
Although the government has said the elderly and the disabled will have priority when allocating the new housing, no one has mentioned when these houses will be built, or more strategically, where. I suspect that the majority of houses will be built in the Northeast, and nowhere near Rio.
Ultimately, an unspecified number of houses will be built, at an uncertain size, in an undetermined location. Meanwhile, thousands upon thousands of low income residents within Rio will be displaced.
So, the question begs to be asked, why are we displacing residents who already have homes, if we’re in the midst of such a housing crisis?!
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Great article!
Change is always hard. A period of adjustment is pending and might be too little and too late for some. Hopefully, it will work for the greater good.