The expansion of the Metropolitan Region of Belém: reflections on the developments of official investments in housing

Abstract

This paper begins with comparisons between the Eastern Amazon urbanization and the production of its urban space, highlighting aspects of the articulation of scales for the understanding of investments distribution in urban areas over the last decade. The investments are concentrated in the Metropolitan Area of Belém, aligned with capitalist strategies, and far from meeting local socio-environmental requirements. The investigated areas were selected according to their insertion in the metropolitan area or its adjacencies, and it was found that recent investments of Programa Minha Casa, Minha Vida (PMCMV – My House, My Life Program) and of Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento (PAC – Accelerated Growth Program) reproduce old usage and occupation patterns, defined mainly by costs. The paper is concluded with the suggestion of categories of qualitative analysis that should be observed in order to approve investments in housing made in that region.