Routes of the right to the city: state’s and companies’ provision of popular housing in the Metropolitan Region of Belém

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the popular housing that was produced under government programs, attempting to include it into the broader frame of urban housing provision. It analyses the actions undertaken in the Metropolitan Region of Belém (Northern Brazil) through Programa Minha Casa, Minha Vida (PMCMV – My House, My Life Program) and through Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento – Habitação (PAC – Accelerated Growth Program – Housing), in relation to the interests and strategies of social agents who make decisions and to the dwelling’s characteristics, in order to verify implications for the fulfillment of the right to the city. The main conclusion is that the determinants of the PMCMV actions do not result in benefits and problems associated with State and market categories, as opposed to the standard of best locations due to the design of the PAC and the interests of the State.