Changes to Housing in Sao Paulo

Learning Intentions To explain the changes made to housing in Sao Paulo To evaluate the changes made to housing in Sao Paulo

The Singapore Project – Explanation The Singapore Project was introduced to solve the slum housing problem in the Favelas by moving people into permanent structures called superblocks. These superblocks were to have electricity, running water, sewage pipes and security guards to prevent crime. Building material was to be provided to resident builders for free and they would take on the construction of the blocks. This was known as a self help scheme. Blocks were to be build on existing Favela land in order to reduce the number of people being displaced from their neighbourhoods. Buildings started off as low rise before changing to high rise flats in order to maximise space available.

The Singapore Project - Evaluation Many Favelas are on steep slopes. Levelling this land to make it suitable for the superblocks proved too expensive. Only one in ten were eventually built. Many unfinished buildings left an unsightly skyline of half built skyscrapers, upsetting local residents who were unhappy at the spoiling of their view. Small scale businesses struggled due to interference from the councils, leaving many people to leave and practice their business elsewhere. The cost of the buildings rose quickly and funding was not made available as promised leading to serious issues with build quality and space in the flats. Rent was also too high for many existing residents of the tenements to pay. Residents did not like the change of living environment. Previously in Favelas they could extend their homes and keep livestock. Some people tried to take livestock into the flats with them.

Santo Andre Social Inclusion – Explanation and Evaluation The Santo Andre Project aimed at promoting social Inclusion in the Favelas by improving the infrastructure in a number of ways: Improvement of basic services in some of the worst neighbourhoods allowing greater access to these services to more people. Micro-credit facilities have been made available to small-scale entrepreneurs. This means that small business can easily get loans in order to grow their business. Health care has been made more accessible through community health agents, improving health, life expectancy and reducing infant mortality in Santo Andre. Other social programmes have been implemented, including literacy campaigns for adults and programmes aimed at street children, improving the educational attainment and prospects of young people in the area. Recreational facilities have been made available, improving the health and wellbeing of Santo Andre residents. Serviced plots have been transferred to families and low-income families re-housed in apartment buildings. An index has been developed to measure social inclusion and data collection is carried out on a regular basis. 

Site and Service Schemes - Explanation Residents of the Favelas are given a plot of land or “site”, and provided with an infrastructure like roads, water supply, drainage, electricity or a sanitary network, or “services”. This land is then leased or sold to the residents who then construct homes on the plots. These schemes were both affordable for the government, as they did not have to provide or build the homes, and also the residents, because they only purchased land, not a home. Schemes aimed to benefit Favela dwellers who had basic skills in construction and so could construct their own homes.

Site and service Schemes - Evaluation Location: With high land costs in urban areas, most sites-and-services schemes are location on the fringe where such costs are not very high. This however causes two problems: one, the large distance between the site and existing delivery networks, delaying construction. Two, the extra distances that the residents have to travel to work makes it expensive and time consuming. Bureaucratic Procedures: Selection procedures for residents time-consuming and provide opportunities for corruption. For many low-income families, the eligibility criteria are impossible to meet due to informal sector jobs or low/irregular incomes. Delay in provision of Services: Due to a lack of coordination between the parties involved in the construction, there is considerable delay in the final provision the services. Standards: High standards of construction and building quality make schemes unaffordable to many residents. Some sites-and-services schemes prohibit income generating activities on residential plots, including rental of rooms limiting the opportunities of residents to earn an (additional) income to pay for their plot and their house. Cost Recovery: Most sites-and-services schemes are plagued by poor cost recovery. One reason is the high costs that residents have to bear shortly after moving into the scheme. Transport, water and electricity costs add to the burden which they might not have had before. But some of the main reasons for poor recovery has been delay in provision of services, inadequate collection methods, lack of sanctions for non-payment and absence of political will to enforce payment.

Self Help Schemes - Explanation The government cannot afford to completely clear and rebuild Favelas, so they provide residents of favelas with the basic materials to help them improve their homes and neighbourhoods.

Self Help Schemes – Evaluation There has been a significant improvement in Favelas such as Heliopolis, with most homes now made from brick Three quarters of houses now have electricity Residents now own the land so they are no longer living there illegally The residents now have services and facilities such as shops and banks There has been an improvement in community spirit because the community all need to pitch in to succeed.