Housing movements protest against Temer's housing cuts.

247 - The National Union for Popular Housing (UNMP) is in the streets of different state capitals and in Brasília this Wednesday, the 8th, to denounce the dismantling of housing policies by the Temer government. The headquarters of the Ministry of Cities in Brasília is occupied.

The movements expect thousands of protesters in demonstrations demanding that the federal government restore the housing, sanitation, and mobility budget for 2017 and 2018, and immediately proceed with hiring under the Minha Casa Minha Vida Entidades and Rural programs.

The movements also denounce the dismantling of social control and participation mechanisms, expressed by the cancellation of the 6th National Cities Conference, and demand the immediate revocation of decree no. 9.076/2017, with the consequent resumption of the National Cities Council and the holding of the conference in the first half of 2018. The articulation also denounces the initiatives to privatize sanitation and other public companies, especially Caixa Econômica Federal.

In addition to UNMP, the following organizations are part of the action: the Central of Popular Movements (CMP), the National Confederation of Residents' Associations (CONAM), the Movement of Neighborhoods, Villages and Slums (MLB), the National Movement for the Struggle for Housing (MNLM), the National Movement for the Struggle for Rights (MTD), and entities affiliated with the National Forum for Urban Reform (FNRU).

It is worth remembering that, in October, several movements from both the countryside and the city held mobilizations to denounce the dismantling of urban and rural policies, especially regarding the zero-budget proposal presented by the government for the Minha Casa, Minha Vida (My House, My Life) program. In relation to the 2018 budget, there was a slight retreat by the government, but not enough to guarantee the MCMV and the ongoing social housing projects.

Throughout October, the Temer government further reduced funding for the 2017 budget program. Even though the 2018 proposal has been revised, the cuts amount to almost 20% of the budget. While withdrawing resources from public housing, Temer is spending billions on parliamentary amendments to save his own skin in the National Congress, attempting to bury the corruption allegations against him.

Earlier this year, the government promised to contract 70 housing units in both rural and urban areas in 2017, with 35 units for the MCMV Rural program (PNHR) and 35 units for the MCMV – Entities program. However, to date, no proposals have been selected or contracted. And even if selected, with the proposed budget, there will be no resources to contract and build.