Haddad will include downtown areas in housing programs.

Daniel Mello
Reporter from Agência Brasil

São Paulo – Representatives of movements that work in the fight for housing met last night (8) with the mayor of São Paulo, Fernando Haddad. The meeting lasted more than two hours and at the end the mayor said that he is studying the adaptation of federal programs to make housing available in the city center.

“We are in negotiations with the federal government, including considering adapting the program, which was not designed for the centers of large metropolitan regions. Because the program's premise is land, which the municipality does not have. Therefore, we have to adapt the program to the reality of São Paulo,” he said.

According to Sidney Pita, Coordinator of the Union of Housing Movements of São Paulo, there are more than 20 properties occupied by social movements in the city. However, these actions could be reconsidered if the city government makes satisfactory progress in reducing the housing deficit. The social movements are requesting 25 housing units for homeless families.

Despite stressing that it's not the time to put the mayor "against the wall," the representative of the Central of Popular Movements (CMP), Luiz Gonzaga da Silva, said that, for now, the occupations should continue to occur. "The occupations will continue to occur in areas belonging to the federal, state, and private governments. Not in retaliation against this or that government. Because areas that do not fulfill the social function of property, we have to make them fulfill it."

Haddad avoided committing to specific goals for social or housing movements in the areas closest to the center of São Paulo. He said, however, that the housing plan will be built "collectively" and will include all segments of society. "Within the scope of dialogue with entities, there is the 'My House, My Life – Entities' Program. It is precisely to fulfill this function of providing support for organized movements," he stated.