Brazil: CAFOD defends 200 families facing eviction + petition

A petition has been launched by CAFOD to halt the eviction of over 200 families living in an abandoned hotel in the centre of São Paulo, Brazil. CAFOD are seeking support to prevent almost 1,000 people, including 200 children, being forced onto the streets.

CAFOD’s Brazil Programme Officer, Emily Mulville, said: “The eviction of the Mauá residents would be a great injustice and a dangerous backward step, part of a broader deterioration of social, environmental and indigenous rights in Brazil and erosion of social gains for the country’s most vulnerable sectors.

“This is one of a series of eviction orders being issued in the city of São Paulo. The move is a worrying sign that the needs and rights of the poorest are not being taken into consideration, with no alternative solution so far being offered to the families by local authorities.

“Families, including children and vulnerable residents, who have lived in Mauá for 10 years and have nowhere else to live, face being forced out of their homes by police on 22 October 2017. The families of Mauá are the human face of the worsening crisis in Brazil.

“We are making an urgent plea to the judges and the Mayor of São Paulo to suspend the eviction order. We are simply asking that they respect the legislation and constitution in Brazil, that they fulfil the right to housing and the social function of property and of the city,” said Emily Mulville.

Mauá is the one of the oldest occupations in the centre of São Paulo and an emblematic case for the housing crisis in the city, recognised nationally and internationally.

Since March 2007, 237 working families have lived in the disused building in the centre of São Paulo. The former hotel was abandoned and closed for almost 20 years, gathering rubbish and owing millions in unpaid tax.

The homeless families renovated and cleaned the rundown building, bringing it back to life and social use and revitalising the derelict local area in the city centre. For years, they have been campaigning for authorities to acquire and convert the building into social housing for low income families. This is a move permitted under Brazilian law, which states that all properties should fulfil a social purpose and that city planning must be organised to ensure cities respond to social needs, not only market interests.

Heluiza Soares, a coordinator from CAFOD’s São Paulo partner APOIO, said: “We cannot stay silent when faced with such injustice, indifference to the plight of the poor, and backlash in Brazil. Housing is a right which must be guaranteed and we must stand firmly together to ensure social justice and the equitable enjoyment of the city, especially by the most vulnerable and disfavoured citizens. Having a decent home is essential to people’s dignity, safety, livelihoods and thriving.

“The fastest growing areas of the city are those close to environmentally protected and water source areas, as poor families cannot afford market rents and have nowhere else to go. Yet in the city centre there are hundreds of abandoned buildings, not fulfilling any social function.

“We are asking for your support, solidarity and prayers for the families of the Mauá Community and the other fourteen occupations across São Paulo also facing eviction orders, that are home to 1,574 low-income families,” said Heluiza Soares.

“CAFOD will continue to stand by our partner and these families in their quest for major social change. We support their efforts to ensure Brazil’s poorest communities are able to live and raise their children close to where jobs, schools and hospitals are located,” said Emily Mulville.

“Please sign our petition calling for the Brazilian authorities to negotiate a peaceful solution to the situation and ensure the families have a safe place to live.”

Find out more and sign the petition at: https://cafod.org.uk/News/Campaigning-news/Sao-Paulo-community-eviction