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Brazil: Victory as evicted families rehoused

Image from news story of eviction of families from INSS building

As families spend the night on the street, Ivanete de Araujo of our partner Apoio pushes for the city's empty buildings to be used to house the homeless.

Read Ivanete's blog of eviction night

After a fierce struggle, 217 families evicted from a building in Sao Paulo will now be rehoused thanks to support from our partner Apoio

The families will receive rental costs for one year, while the building has been reclaimed by the local government and will be made habitable for homeless families.

Following their traumatic eviction from the building - which they had called home for two months - the families were forced to shelter in a nearby warehouse under a viaduct, inhabited by rats and cockroaches.

Put pressure on

Apoio staff and others put pressure on the local government to find a proper solution rather than its temporary offer of hostel accommodation or a ticket back to their place of birth for those who had been evicted.

“No-one accepted the offer of temporary shelter from the local government because this would not solve the housing problem. It would also split up the families living there. Mothers would have been in different hostels to their children”, explains Heloisa Soares, Apoio worker and coordinator of the Organisation for the Struggle for Housing (FLM).

“The building is in debt to the water and electricity companies for 400,000 reais (£135,000). On top of this it needs a structural report. (survey). The problems came about because noone was willing to pay for these,” says Ivanete de Araujo, Apoio worker and coordinator of the homeless movement (MSTC) and FLM. “We are seeking a dignified way out for these families.”

The Globo newspaper reported the story of Angela Maria Rodrigues who, along with her five children and two grandchildren - the youngest just nine months old - was one of those evicted.

She explained how she had lost the little she had in the confrontation with the military police - but her biggest concern was for the young children. “The police came and started throwing tear gas bombs. There was only time to take the children and run away. I lost everything.”

Even after they left the building, the families were ordered to leave the street, even though they had nowhere to go.

“The confrontation with the police was terrible”, said Heloisa. “It took us completely by surprise. Families were already living under the viaduct, we didn’t think they would even come and clear us off the streets. It was horrible.

“We didn’t have time to put up any resistance when the police arrived in force, the families retreated and set light to their belongings to block the road. The police followed the families through the streets for about an hour. Afterwards all the families returned to the viaduct."

According to the Globo report, the police lieutenant, Venancio Slive, said four civil guards were injured in the confrontation. No-one was arrested. Around 150 people took part in the protest.

Since 1997 the building has been occupied three times by the homeless movement who have been pushing for the building to be transformed into public housing.

Now 409,000 reais (£135,000) will be spent to refurbish the building and 12 months' rent for the 217 families who were living there. There are still some issues to be resolved but this is at least a good start.