
The mayor of São Paulo, Brazil, says the city needs 400,000 additional rental homes. Faced with such a large shortage, residents have taken housing matters into their own hands. People have occupied vacant buildings that once operated as stores and offices. Non-profit organizations have been created to support people who are living in occupied buildings. In a city where many people can’t afford to pay the rents charged in the formal housing sector, living in unofficial housing is the only choice.
It’s not easy living, as the buildings are officially vacant and there is no formal access to utilities. The non-profit resident support organizations train building residents to protect their homes from illegal entries, which include police raids. Beyond basic security, resident support organizations and building occupants set up community amenities including electricity, water, wi-fi and children’s programming.
Brazil’s constitution, which was approved in 1988, allows occupations of vacant buildings. The article linked below reports on how the law is working in São Paulo. The current national government is officially supportive, with programs to legalize occupied buildings as part of the country’s public housing stock. Legalizing is a slow process, though, and slowed further by changes in leadership triggered by elections.
Why does this matter?
Here are some thoughts about São Paulo’s experience and why it is relevant in other jurisdictions:
- Making housing a right marks the start of a journey to adequate housing for all residents. We shouldn’t give up hope when reality doesn’t immediately align with our aspirations.
- Legal occupations may not be the route to housing for all residents, but the existing systems, structures and laws, do need to change if we’re going to create communities where everyone has decent housing.
You can read much more about São Paulo’s story in Next City1: Can São Paulo Turn Its Seized Buildings Into Public Housing?