'Ministry of cities RIP: the sad story of Brazil's great urban experiment' diff viewer (1/2)

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Ministry of cities RIP: the sad story of Brazil's great urban experiment	Ministry of cities RIP: the sad story of Brazil's great urban experiment
2019-07-18 17:32:18 UTC	2019-08-17 07:46:26 UTC (30 days later)
Inside Maria Cleudimar da Silva’s flat, gospel music plays softly on the stereo, family photos and religious posters decorate the walls, and a wicker rocking chair and computer furnish the living room. The only evidence of her past life is a faded photo of the home she lived in for 11 years, a shack she called Noah’s Ark for its frequent floods.	Inside Maria Cleudimar da Silva’s flat, gospel music plays softly on the stereo, family photos and religious posters decorate the walls, and a wicker rocking chair and computer furnish the living room. The only evidence of her past life is a faded photo of the home she lived in for 11 years, a shack she called Noah’s Ark for its frequent floods.
She moved in in 1996, pursuing the promise of a better life from Brazil’s rural north-east to São Paulo, its largest city, where she settled in Paraisópolis, the city’s largest favela.	She moved in in 1996, pursuing the promise of a better life from Brazil’s rural north-east to São Paulo, its largest city, where she settled in Paraisópolis, the city’s largest favela.
The path to a better life, however, was bumpy. As a squatter, she faced a constant threat of eviction. It was a challenging place to raise her daughter, who has the developmental disorder Williams syndrome.	The path to a better life, however, was bumpy. As a squatter, she faced a constant threat of eviction. It was a challenging place to raise her daughter, who has the developmental disorder Williams syndrome.
“The government didn’t treat us like citizens back then,” she says, citing their inability to access regular water, electrical hookups or a health clinic for her daughter.	“The government didn’t treat us like citizens back then,” she says, citing their inability to access regular water, electrical hookups or a health clinic for her daughter.
In 2007, however, things suddenly changed. City officials declared that she and her daughter would be leaving their waterlogged hovel. For three years they received financial assistance that allowed them to rent a nearby house, before taking ownership in 2010 of a brand new two-bedroom flat, for the modest 10-year price of 86.90 reais (£18.46) per month plus utilities – a sum she pays with cleaning jobs and her daughter’s disability checks.	In 2007, however, things suddenly changed. City officials declared that she and her daughter would be leaving their waterlogged hovel. For three years they received financial assistance that allowed them to rent a nearby house, before taking ownership in 2010 of a brand new two-bedroom flat, for the modest 10-year price of 86.90 reais (£18.46) per month plus utilities – a sum she pays with cleaning jobs and her daughter’s disability checks.
“It was complicated but worth it. We have a better life,” she said, gazing out from her balcony over the lush tropical landscaping that separates the blocks in this development. “I keep that photo so that I never forget what God delivered me from.”	“It was complicated but worth it. We have a better life,” she said, gazing out from her balcony over the lush tropical landscaping that separates the blocks in this development. “I keep that photo so that I never forget what God delivered me from.”
Silva and her daughter are among the 4 million Brazilian families in the last 15 years who were given a new roof over their heads in one of the most ambitious social housing and neighbourhood building schemes attempted in the 21st century.	Silva and her daughter are among the 4 million Brazilian families in the last 15 years who were given a new roof over their heads in one of the most ambitious social housing and neighbourhood building schemes attempted in the 21st century.
With a massive injection of public finance, Brazil built homes, renovated public spaces, and laid out new transport lines in cities large and small across the vast country.	With a massive injection of public finance, Brazil built homes, renovated public spaces, and laid out new transport lines in cities large and small across the vast country.
For their new lives, the Silvas can thank a distant bureaucracy: the ministry of cities. The creation of the former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the ministry was set up to tackle the urban chaos of Brazil’s traffic-clogged megacities and prevent its intermediate cities from ballooning into nightmarish metropolises.	For their new lives, the Silvas can thank a distant bureaucracy: the ministry of cities. The creation of the former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the ministry was set up to tackle the urban chaos of Brazil’s traffic-clogged megacities and prevent its intermediate cities from ballooning into nightmarish metropolises.
Or at least, they could have thanked the ministry until January this year, when the new president, Jair Bolsonaro, closed it down, ending 15 remarkable but highly contentious years. “The ministry of cities is done,” parliamentarian Luciano Bivar, a Bolsonaro ally, said in October about folding the cities remit into the ministry of regional development. “We’re going to have a direct line with the cities and states.”	Or at least, they could have thanked the ministry until January this year, when the new president, Jair Bolsonaro, closed it down, ending 15 remarkable but highly contentious years. “The ministry of cities is done,” parliamentarian Luciano Bivar, a Bolsonaro ally, said in October about folding the cities remit into the ministry of regional development. “We’re going to have a direct line with the cities and states.”
It was a quiet end to a project that was opened in 2003 to great fanfare. Replacing the separation of city planning into different silos, the ministry was in charge of all things urban: housing, transport, sanitation and planning. It was a first-of-its-kind innovation in public policy for tackling cities writ large.	It was a quiet end to a project that was opened in 2003 to great fanfare. Replacing the separation of city planning into different silos, the ministry was in charge of all things urban: housing, transport, sanitation and planning. It was a first-of-its-kind innovation in public policy for tackling cities writ large.
The participatory budgeting champion Olívio Dutra, former mayor of Porto Alegre, took the helm and flung open the doors to urban reformers with progressive ideas. These include the “right to the city” concept, which put the needs of poor urban dwellers on par with the rich, and the “social function of property”, whereby land should not sit vacant if it can serve a public purpose.	The participatory budgeting champion Olívio Dutra, former mayor of Porto Alegre, took the helm and flung open the doors to urban reformers with progressive ideas. These include the “right to the city” concept, which put the needs of poor urban dwellers on par with the rich, and the “social function of property”, whereby land should not sit vacant if it can serve a public purpose.
Over the last dozen years of the programme, between its general infrastructure programme (the PAC) and its My House My Life programme (Minha Casa Minha Vida, MCMV, in Portuguese), Brazil invested a staggering 780bn reais (£166bn) in housing alone. There were also sewage upgrades, transport improvements and huge renovations to Brazil’s many favelas.	Over the last dozen years of the programme, between its general infrastructure programme (the PAC) and its My House My Life programme (Minha Casa Minha Vida, MCMV, in Portuguese), Brazil invested a staggering 780bn reais (£166bn) in housing alone. There were also sewage upgrades, transport improvements and huge renovations to Brazil’s many favelas.
We spent 400 years as a predominantly rural society. Rapid urbanisation was overwhelming	We spent 400 years as a predominantly rural society. Rapid urbanisation was overwhelming
In 2006, the United Nations human settlements programme, UN-Habitat, awarded the ministry its scroll of honour for “impressive work in promoting the participation of ordinary people in urban policymaking”. Indeed, on Dutra’s second day, he invited the representatives of social movements from across Brazil into the ministry for discussions that aimed to make Brasília more responsive to the needs of the country’s far-flung cities.	In 2006, the United Nations human settlements programme, UN-Habitat, awarded the ministry its scroll of honour for “impressive work in promoting the participation of ordinary people in urban policymaking”. Indeed, on Dutra’s second day, he invited the representatives of social movements from across Brazil into the ministry for discussions that aimed to make Brasília more responsive to the needs of the country’s far-flung cities.
The honeymoon, however, was short-lived. Housing successes, such as the Silvas’ experience, started to become the exception rather than the rule. As huge amounts of federal money poured into housing, the ministry found itself overwhelmed, struggling to exert any power over quality. The result was often shoddy housing estates and more urban sprawl than ever before.	The honeymoon, however, was short-lived. Housing successes, such as the Silvas’ experience, started to become the exception rather than the rule. As huge amounts of federal money poured into housing, the ministry found itself overwhelmed, struggling to exert any power over quality. The result was often shoddy housing estates and more urban sprawl than ever before.
The results soured even the ministry’s most ardent backers. One of them was an urbanism professor at the University of São Paulo, Ermínia Maricato, who had pitched the project to Lula personally. “I don’t want to use this word, but it’s a tragedy,” she now says.	The results soured even the ministry’s most ardent backers. One of them was an urbanism professor at the University of São Paulo, Ermínia Maricato, who had pitched the project to Lula personally. “I don’t want to use this word, but it’s a tragedy,” she now says.
‘A profound lack of knowledge about urban space in Brazil’	‘A profound lack of knowledge about urban space in Brazil’
What transformed this urbanist dream into a tragedy is money – a lot of it.	What transformed this urbanist dream into a tragedy is money – a lot of it.
In the early 2000s, Brazil’s housing deficit was enormous. The country needed an estimated 7 million units, and nearly a fifth of the population lived in inadequate housing – families crammed into hillside favelas at risk of landslides, degraded tenements in big cities, or illegally subdivided lots lacking basic water and sewer connections, often located far from any jobs.	In the early 2000s, Brazil’s housing deficit was enormous. The country needed an estimated 7 million units, and nearly a fifth of the population lived in inadequate housing – families crammed into hillside favelas at risk of landslides, degraded tenements in big cities, or illegally subdivided lots lacking basic water and sewer connections, often located far from any jobs.
On top of the housing shortage, navigating Brazilian cities ranged from infuriating to nightmarish. Metropolises such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro enjoyed a fraction of the metro service of comparably sized metropolises such as London and New York. The smaller cities, such as Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre and Fortaleza – which still clock in at more than a million people – relied almost exclusively on buses. Six Brazilian cities feature in the top 50 of the INRIX global scorecard for world’s worst traffic congestion.	On top of the housing shortage, navigating Brazilian cities ranged from infuriating to nightmarish. Metropolises such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro enjoyed a fraction of the metro service of comparably sized metropolises such as London and New York. The smaller cities, such as Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre and Fortaleza – which still clock in at more than a million people – relied almost exclusively on buses. Six Brazilian cities feature in the top 50 of the INRIX global scorecard for world’s worst traffic congestion.
“The problem isn’t the house, it’s the city outside the front door,” Maricato recalls telling Lula when she pitched to him the idea of turning a housing plank in his 2003 campaign into a proposal for a fully-fledged city ministry.	“The problem isn’t the house, it’s the city outside the front door,” Maricato recalls telling Lula when she pitched to him the idea of turning a housing plank in his 2003 campaign into a proposal for a fully-fledged city ministry.
Lula liked the idea, which came from a national movement of urban reformers calling for urgent federal action to fix Brazil’s increasingly chaotic metropolises. When he won the election and entered office, he made Maricato the new ministry’s first executive secretary.	Lula liked the idea, which came from a national movement of urban reformers calling for urgent federal action to fix Brazil’s increasingly chaotic metropolises. When he won the election and entered office, he made Maricato the new ministry’s first executive secretary.
Untangling the knot of Brazilian cities, where up to half of the urban population lives in self-built housing or illegal subdivisions, needed all hands on deck. As Maricato points out, Brazil had gone from being 10% urban in 1900 to 80% urban by 2000.	Untangling the knot of Brazilian cities, where up to half of the urban population lives in self-built housing or illegal subdivisions, needed all hands on deck. As Maricato points out, Brazil had gone from being 10% urban in 1900 to 80% urban by 2000.
“We spent 400 years as a predominantly rural society,” she says. “Rapid urbanisation was an overwhelming experience, and frankly there existed a profound lack of knowledge about what urban space really was like in Brazil.”	“We spent 400 years as a predominantly rural society,” she says. “Rapid urbanisation was an overwhelming experience, and frankly there existed a profound lack of knowledge about what urban space really was like in Brazil.”
Maricato and the ministry attempted three initiatives: build a lot of new housing, renovate existing housing stock, and upgrade favelas with paved roads, water and sewer hookups, parks, schools, health clinics and other amenities. Hundreds of new kilometres of subway and bus rapid transit (BRT) lines were also part of the equation, although the cities ministry shared that responsibility with other parts of the federal government.	Maricato and the ministry attempted three initiatives: build a lot of new housing, renovate existing housing stock, and upgrade favelas with paved roads, water and sewer hookups, parks, schools, health clinics and other amenities. Hundreds of new kilometres of subway and bus rapid transit (BRT) lines were also part of the equation, although the cities ministry shared that responsibility with other parts of the federal government.
In 2008 new, massive amounts of money came down the pipe, as the chief of staff and finance ministry authorised huge public spending on construction in a bid to keep Brazil afloat in the global financial crisis, leaving implementation to the cities ministry.	In 2008 new, massive amounts of money came down the pipe, as the chief of staff and finance ministry authorised huge public spending on construction in a bid to keep Brazil afloat in the global financial crisis, leaving implementation to the cities ministry.
Some of the money went to new homes, where Silva’s story represented an ideal outcome: a life-changing new home in the neighbourhood she already lived in.	Some of the money went to new homes, where Silva’s story represented an ideal outcome: a life-changing new home in the neighbourhood she already lived in.
Some of the money went to rehabilitating existing buildings, typically to benefit homeless people or those paying exorbitant sums to live in shoddy rentals. A particular success was when social movements convinced the cities ministry to use part of MCMV’s massive budget to transform central São Paulo’s abandoned high-rises into proper apartment buildings, where squatters successfully parlayed their activism into permanent homes, renovated with public money.	Some of the money went to rehabilitating existing buildings, typically to benefit homeless people or those paying exorbitant sums to live in shoddy rentals. A particular success was when social movements convinced the cities ministry to use part of MCMV’s massive budget to transform central São Paulo’s abandoned high-rises into proper apartment buildings, where squatters successfully parlayed their activism into permanent homes, renovated with public money.
“We sometimes hear parents joke with their children to ‘be careful, this is a luxury condo’,” says Wemerson Silva, a 33-year-old former office administrator now working full-time to manage the 120-unit Edifício Dandara, which used to be a squatter building. “But for us it is a luxury. I’ve lived in a tenement – never again.”	“We sometimes hear parents joke with their children to ‘be careful, this is a luxury condo’,” says Wemerson Silva, a 33-year-old former office administrator now working full-time to manage the 120-unit Edifício Dandara, which used to be a squatter building. “But for us it is a luxury. I’ve lived in a tenement – never again.”
Sometimes I don’t sleep at night thinking about how surreal it is to own a flat in the centre of São Paulo	Sometimes I don’t sleep at night thinking about how surreal it is to own a flat in the centre of São Paulo
The building once housed a justice ministry office but sat vacant for a decade until a tenement dwellers’ union took it over. Many of the new residents had been used to paying up to half their income to rent sparsely furnished, cell-like rooms in tenements, where siblings or a mother and child crammed in together and the bathroom was shared by a dozen strangers.	The building once housed a justice ministry office but sat vacant for a decade until a tenement dwellers’ union took it over. Many of the new residents had been used to paying up to half their income to rent sparsely furnished, cell-like rooms in tenements, where siblings or a mother and child crammed in together and the bathroom was shared by a dozen strangers.
In their new building, the union applied to the government to finance a participatory renovation project through MCMV. Today, they are all owners of one- and two-bedroom flats in a building they helped lay out, and pay just 5% of their income for 10 years with no down payment.	In their new building, the union applied to the government to finance a participatory renovation project through MCMV. Today, they are all owners of one- and two-bedroom flats in a building they helped lay out, and pay just 5% of their income for 10 years with no down payment.
As building manager, Silva has faced a steep learning curve. The cities ministry literally handed over the keys: the residents would own the building, not rent it. The residents get the dream of homeownership, but also the responsibility of maintaining their new condominium complex.	As building manager, Silva has faced a steep learning curve. The cities ministry literally handed over the keys: the residents would own the building, not rent it. The residents get the dream of homeownership, but also the responsibility of maintaining their new condominium complex.
“During carnival a street party passed right by the door, but I was busy taking care of the building,” Silva says. “Every day there’s a new problem. The front gate is always breaking.”	“During carnival a street party passed right by the door, but I was busy taking care of the building,” Silva says. “Every day there’s a new problem. The front gate is always breaking.”
There were social habits to change, too. Visitors would often come to the front desk looking for a friend without knowing their last name. “Come on, there are 500 residents,” Silva says. “If the person doesn’t come with the apartment number, they don’t get in.”	There were social habits to change, too. Visitors would often come to the front desk looking for a friend without knowing their last name. “Come on, there are 500 residents,” Silva says. “If the person doesn’t come with the apartment number, they don’t get in.”
Located in the middle of downtown, Edifício Dandara is walking distance from jobs, prime subway service, museums, grocery stores, and the city’s new top public cultural and recreation centre.	Located in the middle of downtown, Edifício Dandara is walking distance from jobs, prime subway service, museums, grocery stores, and the city’s new top public cultural and recreation centre.
“Sometimes I don’t sleep at night thinking about how surreal it is to own a flat in the centre of São Paulo,” Silva says. “I never could have afforded to buy here.”	“Sometimes I don’t sleep at night thinking about how surreal it is to own a flat in the centre of São Paulo,” Silva says. “I never could have afforded to buy here.”