Programa Minha Casa, Minha Vida Entidades: uma nova política habitacional?

Abstract

This research analyzes the "Minha Casa Minha Vida Entidades" (PMCMV-E) program in the city of Fortaleza, focusing on the self-management modality in social housing. The program stands out for centralizing social movements as protagonists in the housing process, encompassing everything from land acquisition and project conception to family selection, hiring of a technical team, and contracting a construction company. The study investigates the participation of these movements, using as its empirical field the Luiz Gonzaga Residential Complex, located on Rua Estrela de Ouro, in the Jangurussu neighborhood, on the outskirts of Fortaleza, Ceará. Inaugurated on November 2, 2019, the project was the result of a partnership between the Secretariat of Cities of the Government of the State of Ceará, the Municipality of Fortaleza, entities, and social movements linked to housing issues, such as Cearah Periferia, the Federation of Neighborhoods and Slums of Fortaleza, and Habitat for Humanity. Methodologically, I sought a close-up, insider's perspective as well as an outsider's, distant perspective (Magnani, 2002) to compose a posture of observation, listening, and writing (Oliveira, 1998). To this end, I used a field diary to record the observations gathered on-site. A qualitative/quantitative study was chosen. In the first, qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of the organizing entities and with residents linked to social movements. In a second, quantitative phase, a questionnaire was applied to the residents of the housing complex, aiming to measure the level of satisfaction and perception regarding housing in the location. The theoretical foundation, based on authors who analyze the formation of Brazilian social housing and the understanding of the history of public housing policies in Brazil, highlights Topalov (1996), Azevedo (1988), Bonduki (1998), Gohn (1991), Oliveira (2006), Rizek (2014), Bollafi (1997), Blay (1985), Braga (1995), Gondim (2012), Pequeno (2008), Ponte (1993), Silva (1992), and Maricato (2011). The distinctive feature of the Luiz Gonzaga complex lies in its community organization, participatory management, and the strengthening of ties among residents. This integration transforms beneficiaries into active agents in the construction of the space, expanding the right to the city beyond the simple handing over of keys.