We visited the City Hall of our new host city Boa Esperançe. We were lucky enough to interview the new Mayor who has been in post 6 months of his 4 year term.
I asked the Mayor about housing strategies for the people of the city in need of housing and better quality homes.
My House My Life Programme
This programme is funded by Federal Government and managed by the Municipal Government (local council) to help people who own land build a house on it, or to help people who have a poor quality home knock it down and rebuild a house to a modern standard.
There is a possibility that funding from Federal Government may not cover all of the planned builds (see below). In these instances the City will look to provide the funding to complete the programme.
Implementation of Programme
The plan is for 58 homes to be built undrr this programme in the next 6 months.
The next phase of the project will see a further 150 new homes built.
The following 4 years will see 120 new homes a year built.
Eligibility
There is a National Federation Box which is an office within the city where famalies applying for the scheme apply. There are checks to ensure the family are on a low income, do not have the means to build a home without assistance and the home they currently own (if any) is of a poor standard requiring upgrade.
Homelness
There is around 1100 known people in the city that dont have their own home and are staying with friends or relatives or homeless.
These people are given an allowance to help towards their living costs providing they meet the eligibility criteria, which is a low income.
The City also has plans to build properties for these people using City funds in future projects.
Social Issues
The discussion then lead onto other aspects that can be common in famalies who have low incomes and are in need of suitable housing.
There is in this city (and others within the state of Mineas Gervais) a rising drug problem.
The problem is partly associated to from the close location to Latin America where crack cocaine production is high. There us also a high cannabis and cocaine production here in Brazil, the climate is suitable for mass production.
The state of Sao Paulo has recently been in the news due to large cocaine production busts.
The Police, including boarder forces work tirelesly to stop the cultivation, supply and dealing of drugs.
The social schemes for young people here (as featured in previous blog posts) are an effective way of helping break the cycle of hanging around on the streets,taking drugs, then dealing or engaging in prostitution to fund buying more drugs that is a common theme in the socially deprived areas.
Rehabilitation
The social schemes here offer many rehabilitation programmes (some mentioned in previous blog posts) which are voulantary but people can also be taken by force to more intense rehabilitation programmes.
At present the city provides $800 for each person who requires rehabilitation care. There is currently work with Rotary to build a new facility for rehabilitation here.
Free Study For Children
The Government have created funds for free university courses for adults who could not afford to pay pri
Gov also iffering free courses at fed uni.
Other Community Developments
In addition to this fantastic work the Mayor also hopes to build the following community facilities;
Childcare for children at risk
Soccer clubs in social risk areas
Residential Mental Healthcare
Tourism
As the city is built around one of the biggest lakes in the country. The lake named Lago De Furnas.
Work has begun in building a damn for hydro electicity. This is a common powersource in this state due to the amount of lakes and waterfalls.
The annual Jet Ski Championships are held here and there are plans to develop the lake for the use of watersports.
There are also great views fro. Local mountians and work is planned to improve the roads to these attractions. At the moment the routes are definatley off road but to me were part of an adventure to get to the stunning veiws of the city.
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