Rousseff ensures continuity of government program "Minha Casa Minha Vida"

President Dilma Rousseff said on Friday (July 31) that despite the economic challenges the country has faced, “there is no way” the affordable housing program “Minha Casa Minha Vida” will be ended. Created in 2009, the program finances affordable housing for low-income families with subsidies up to 95% of the price.

Rousseff attended the delivery of 2,900 housing units in Maricá, in Rio de Janeiro. The program should have its third stage announced this semester and the president highlighted its role in generating employment and income in the municipalities where the projects are built. Rousseff pointed out that the program will not end “because it is important for the Brazilian people, for that part [of population] who had no opportunities, to whom no one looked. But it will not end for another reason: because, besides building houses, we create jobs.”

According to her, the program “spins the economic wheels” and is important to resume the country's growth. “Now in Brazil we are making great efforts to get the country back to the growth path, to control inflation; we are halfway through, thus the importance of Minha Casa Minha Vida.”

She pointed out that “when you build a house, a residential complex, you need bricks, sand, cement, aluminum; each of these phases has got people hired , created jobs, paid wages, generated income and made the economy wheels spin round. When they have a job, when they have a wage, people buy in supermarkets, in stores, and the economy wheels spin round, so there is no way 'Minha Casa Minha Vida' will not continue. We are going to create 'Minha Casa Minha Vida 3'”

According to the Ministry of Cities, since the program's inception in 2009, 2.3 million homes have been delivered and 1.5 million homes are currently under construction. At the third stage of the program, the goal is to sign more 3 million financing contracts of housing units by 2018.

“Our country gets better, democracy gets stronger when we ensure opportunities for people,” the president added.

Homage

The residential complex delivered on Friday was named after two political activists who took part in the armed struggle against the military dictatorship: Carlos Marighella and Carlos Alberto Soares de Freitas.

Rousseff praised the choice of the names and pointe out that Marighella "was not only a fighter, but a great human being" and that Freitas was a brother to her in her youth.

“We fought together, we wanted a more democratic country, where people had a voice, a chance, and above all had their own home, so I'm more than honored, I feel thrilled. To be here touches deep in my heart, because it makes me remember things, it brings me the memories of all my youth and also of the democratic struggles and our country's endurance,” she noted.

The 2,932 housing units delivered in Maricá should benefit about 12,000 people, according to the Ministry of Cities. Each apartment has about 45 square meters of private area with two bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom, a kitchen and a laundry area, with ceramic tile floors in all rooms.

The projects received $57,45 million from the federal government and have recreation areas, community centers, kiosks, playgrounds and game courts. Ninety apartments, 45 in each complex, are adapted for people with disabilities.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta