Homeless people march to the São Bernardo city hall to demand housing.

Members of the "Povo Sem Medo" (People Without Fear) occupation in São Bernardo do Campo marched to the city hall to demand that the municipal government act as an intermediary with the company that owns the occupied land. "What we are demanding is that the mayor take a position, not one of defending evictions, but one that discusses the housing situation of the families and helps to build a solution where people have housing," said the national coordinator of the MTST (Homeless Workers' Movement), Guilherme Boulos. The "Povo Sem Medo" occupation began with 500 families on the 2nd of this month; today there are more than 6 registered families; these are people who lived in at-risk areas or simply cannot afford rent.

September 14, 2017, 16:37 PMUpdated May 28, 2019, 09:12 AM

Members of the Povo Sem Medo (People Without Fear) occupation in São Bernardo do Campo marched to the city hall to demand that the municipal government act as an intermediary with the company that owns the occupied land; "What we are going to demand is that the mayor take a position, not one of defending evictions, but one that discusses the housing situation of the families and helps to build a solution where people have housing," said the national coordinator of the MTST (Homeless Workers' Movement), Guilherme Boulos; the Povo Sem Medo occupation began with 500 families on the 2nd of this month; today there are more than 6 registered families; these are people who lived in at-risk areas or simply cannot afford to pay rent (Photo: Aquiles Lins).

Brazil Current Network - Members of the Povo Sem Medo occupation in São Bernardo do Campo held a march to the city hall this Wednesday (13) to demand that the municipal administration act as an intermediary with the company that owns the occupied land. They demand that at least part of the 60 square meter plot – which has been unused for 40 years – be allocated to social housing.

A delegation from the Homeless Workers' Movement (MTST) was received by Mayor Orlando Morando (PSDB), who highlighted that the municipal administration currently has 1.980 registered individuals receiving rental assistance. The MTST hopes to deepen the dialogue.

"What we are going to demand is that the mayor take a stand, not one of defending evictions, but one that discusses the housing situation of families and helps to build a solution where people have housing," said the national coordinator of the MTST, Guilherme Boulos.

São Bernardo is the municipality in the ABC region, in greater São Paulo, that registers the largest housing deficit, with 90 families without homes. In the entire region, there are 230 homeless families.

The "People Without Fear" occupation began with 500 families on the 2nd of this month. Today, there are more than 6 registered families. These are people who lived in at-risk areas or simply cannot afford to pay rent.

"We sleep in shacks. We have a whole structure of cleaning and organization so that it doesn't become a mess, which is what everyone thinks it is, but in reality, it's not," says Marcela Fernanda, who is unemployed.

"We organize ourselves. We have communal kitchens where everyone can eat. We carry water on our backs. We manage as best we can, but solidarity reigns here," says Maria das Dores, one of the coordinators of the occupation.