Various social organizations have been working for more than thirty years in Mexico City, in favor of the improvement of the living conditions, and to support public policies that guarantee freedom, democracy, sustainable development, equity and social justice. The evolutions of the city policies and the lack of a representative organism able to supervise, analyse and influence the decisions of the Mexico City Government, drove these organizations to create a Urban Development and Housing Citizen Council (Consejo Asesor Ciudadano de Desarrollo Urbano y Vivienda). This Council, integrated by members of the public and private social sectors, was created on May the 25th 2007.
The organizations actually integrating this Council are particularly worried about the decisions taken by the Federal District Government and the orientations given to the public policies in the city. Actually, this government promotes policies that go against the interests of the popular sectors of the population, and in favor of the financial and real estate markets. The city seems to undergo privatization processes of the social programs. Thus, the building of new residences is entrusted to huge real estate companies, and the material supply is made by the giant Cemex (Cementos Mexicanos), according to agreements that have not been publicised yet.
Moreover, the public organism INVI (City Housing Institute) canceled credits destinated to programs able to relieve the social sectors. This type of policies can only increase the already important number of families unable to get a decent housing. In addition, it must be underlined that 66% of the population don’t have enough incomes to buy a housing with the current public or private financing schemes.
The Federal District Government challenges should rather be to resolve the problems of housings in bad shape and dangerously situated, and to answer to the important need of habitat. These challenges could only be taken up by the social production of habitat, able to beneficiate to the low income sectors of the population.
To face this situation, the Housing and Urban Development Citizen Council demands the ceasing of the expulsions and the publication of the agreements firmed with the private sector. Moreover, it has the objectives to promote and defend the social production of housing, to supervise and participate in the public policies, to promote a political change in order to allow a better participation of citizens and social organizations. In order to reach these goals and to garantee collegial analisis and discussions, the Council is integrated by three working comissions:
- Social production of habitat
- Right to the city
- Transparency, follow-up and evaluation of the Federal District public policies.
Mexico City, May 25, 2007
Asamblea de Barrios Ciudad de México, Casa y Ciudad AC, “Patria Nueva”, Unión Popular Revolucionaria Emiliano Zapata (UPREZ), Unión Popular Valle Gómez, El Barzón de la Ciudad de México, Centro Operacional de Vivienda y Poblamiento (COPEVI) AC, Comité de Lucha Popular (CLP), Asamblea de Barrios Sta María 98, Hogar del Ciudadano, Unión de Colonias Populares (UCP), Unión de Colonos de Santo Domingo (Coyoacán), CCAT-UCAI, Organización 20 de Noviembre, UNOS, Alternativa Comunitaria para el Desarrollo, Movimiento de Transformación Social.
