1.- General identification
Location: Las Farias, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.
2.- History, background and context
On 4 February 1992, amidst the overthrow of the State government, a group of low-income families, inspired by their desire for a home, came together and occupied a plot of land. Through the rapid fabrication of a few basic shacks, they began the invasion of 25 hectares of land owned by the National Urban Development Fund.
Once installed on the land, they organized to resist their pending eviction. Following a period of struggle, several State institutions proposed to negotiate the land with the condition that they leave voluntarily and organize themselves as a civil association. After their voluntary eviction, the group received assistance from institutions such as INREVI-Zulia and the Social Development Institute (IDES) to organize as a civil society organization and to purchase the land.
The five-phase project known as Nueva Democracia then began, with the active participation of the community and the support of the Department of Architecture of the University of Zulia (LUZ).
To implement the project, the IDES financed the services and the first phase of housing construction, giving priority to the original occupiers and low-income persons. Middle-income families were incorporated within the project during its second phase as a strategy to obtain the remaining capital needed for the land purchase.
Nueva Democracia now has 664 homes constructed during the first two phases, for an equal number of beneficiary families. Three phases are yet to be constructed (394 homes), along with many dreams also yet to be realized.
3.- Objectives, strategies and scope
Objectives:
- Resolve the housing problem of a large number of families based on a management process organized by the community itself.
- Integrally construct and develop the habitat of the Nueva Democracia community.
- Procure the communitys well-being and the active participation of each and every inhabitant in the urbanization.
- Contribute to resolve the social situation of other communities.
Strategic criteria:
- The process is controlled and strengthened from the beginning by the beneficiary community.
- The community receives advisory, shares information, and participates in all aspects of process management.
- The active participation of persons and institutions who do not live in the settlement is also encouraged in order to foment and articulate all the actors in the process of services and housing production.
- The proposal, as form of pressure and request for assistance, finance and advisory, contributed to the active consideration of the community in the decision making, design, and implementation of the project.
Size of participating and beneficiary population:
664 families have been benefited in the first two development phases, and a large number of neighboring communities see the Nueva Democracia community as a reference for resolution of their own problems.
Territorial scope:
Encompasses 25 hectares in five development phases.
Innovative aspects:
Creation of a habitat through the social organization of a group of land occupiers and their influence in local management, as the articulators of the different actors participating in the social production process.
4.- Actors involved and their roles
The community is the primary actor of the process and coordinates and links the different components, operating under the legal identity of Asociacin Civil Nueva Democracia (ACINDE).
The University of Zulia (LUZ) elaborated the initial project for the Nueva Democracia complex.
The Government of Zulia motivated the eviction, organization and constitution of the nonprofit civil association among the former land occupiers aspiring to dignified housing.
The Social Development Institute (IDES) provided financial and technical support for the first two phases of construction.
The National Urban Development Fund (FONDUR) contributed technical and financial assistance for the land purchase and the third and fourth phases of construction.
5.- Project components
In reference to habitat, project elaboration included acquiring the land and preparing it for progressive housing construction by phases, with vision toward the future and adapted to the economic, social and cultural needs of the inhabitants, as well as provision of basic infrastructure services including water and sanitation, facilities, green areas and plazas, schools, community offices, sports areas, etc.
In reference to the social component, social participation was activated through workshops to provide training and information on the process for the community, and organizing commissions for the maintenance, evaluation, and control of constructions.
The project aims to maintain decision-making autonomy, inviting the collaboration of all the actors involved through meetings. Equality of participation was noteworthy for children, youth, women, and disabled community members. Daily emphasis is placed on the importance of family and community life, increasing self-esteem through special workshops.
Community inhabitants support regional sports, cultural, and music activities, and have contributed instruments and tools for such organizations as well as promoting exchanges with neighboring communities.
The community has contributed resources and participated in maintenance of the services, green areas, and constructions, generating employment and strengthening community social and economic development. (1)
Contributions were made during the process to development of the urbanization linked to existing urban planning, and to improvement of the urban image and that of the public areas, as well as urban neighborliness, increasing the regions security, well-being, and social atmosphere.
6.- Primary instruments used
The community operates through the legal identity of Nueva Democracia Civil Association (Asociacin Civil Nueva Democracia ACINDE). This Association is made up by one representative from each street and condominium.
The Association functions through commissions on Urbanism, Sports Education, and Culture. Service commissions are responsible to identify each sectors needs and present them to the responsible authorities or institutions.
Rights and duties are well defined. The neighbors contribute for production of new infrastructure works and their maintenance, and they collaborate to identify problems in their sectors and homes, in a democratic way and in accordance with their possibilities.
Workshops and courses are offered within the community to provide training to the residents, who then provide free services within the community, motivated by the goal of a better life.
7.- Achievements and main lessons learned
Achievements:
1. Construction of 664 houses with services, parks, plazas, etc.
2. Capacity for autonomous social organization, based on solidarity among neighbors, with a high level of social commitment and vision toward the future.
3. Resolution, by the community itself and with advisory from a few State institutions, to acquire the land.
4. The design of a housing complex, not only with the initial land-occupation group and low-income persons in general, but also with persons with middle-level and formal incomes. This made it possible to produce an urbanization which the first group could not have achieved alone.
5. A positive impact on public policies, through the communitys own financing of services at various stages.
6. The community was integrated within the dynamic of the organizations of adjacent neighborhoods. They want their achievements to serve other communities with the same economic and social conditions.
7. And finally, a song composed by the organized inhabitants of Nueva Democracia:
Author: Miguel Aguirre
|
La Invasin De una modesta invasin Socio hoy que estamos juntos Queremos vivir mejor |
The Invasion From a modest invasion Member today that we are together We want to live better |
Lessons learned:
1. The management capacity of the community can transcend initial goals and lead to more ambitious project proposals to resolve the housing problems of others as well.
2. It is necessary to work in solidarity, with perseverance and faith, to realize dreams and maintain the concept of community over the years.
3. Relations with governmental, advisory, and educational institutions are an important part of project development and community organization.
4. Progressive housing was demonstrated to be a viable option, allowing families to secure a neighborhood, expand their homes, develop common areas, and be able to produce without being capitalist developers.
Obstacles faced in the process:
From the moment of the occupation, eviction was used as a repression mechanism.
The land price, permit requirements and procedures, finance, and the Housing Policy Law.
Long and wearisome bureaucratic procedures, lack of information, and lack of articulation among public and private institutions.
Lack of continuity in the finance, with temporary work stoppages due to lack of funds and materials.
Land occupation attempts by individuals with economic-profit motives.
The community was able to find solutions to all these obstacles, which far from discouraging them, brought them even closer in order to achieve what they have today: a dignified home.
8.- Key words
Venezuela, Maracaibo, Nueva Democracia, organization, occupation, housing, urbanization, organized communities, self-management, autonomy, solidarity.
9.- Sources
Based on various documents published by the Nueva Democracia Civil Association and an interview with its President, Nerys Cuenca, who was one of the first occupants and is now one of the communitys primary leaders.
10.- Contacts
Urbanizacin Nueva Democracia:
Sector 5, Casa No 5-75 y 5-76, Idelfonso Vzquez
Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela
Tels: Nerys Cuenca: 014. 6110206
Nstor Ortiz: 016.6605667
Sector de Estudio Urbanos, Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo
Universidad Central de Venezuela
E-mail: tbolivar@villanueva.arq.ucv.ve – jdiaz_arq@hotmail.com
NOTES:
(1) There are three ways to promote economic development in the community:
1. By training through workshops and seminars (sewing, pastry-making, painting, and manual crafts in general).
2. By volunteer work participation in the community through the commissions. This modality increases self-esteem and develops skills in management and leadership among inhabitants. Also promotes team work.
3. Through the contracting of professional services among the communitys own population. Internal potentials are recognized in terms of professional work and training, and individuals are formally contracted to elaborate architectural, engineering and urbanization projects, for construction tasks, security posts, and to work in the library and community center. These community-member employees have demonstrated capacity, responsibility, and especially community commitment, guaranteeing and reducing time and financial investments.
Annex: Project Activities by Phase
Phase Housing Urbanization
Phases 1 and 2 494 homes of 45 m2 built on 135 m2 lots, through progressive construction, with possibilities to reach 136 m2, depending on family incomes. Finance and construction of housing and urbanization by IDES, Regional Urban Development Institute of the State of Zulia.
Phase 3 170 two-floor homes of 70 m2 built on lots ranging between 135 and 210 m2. Progressive construction with possibilities to reach 111m2, depending on family incomes. Finance and construction of housing and urbanization (including all services) by FONDUR, Regional Urban Development Fund. The urbanization was constructed and financed by the community itself with its own resources and through the legal identity of ACINDE, the Nueva Democracia Civil Association. This is part of a negotiation between the community and the central government to guarantee the housing construction. This phase has completed installation of all public services.
Phase 4 Construction has begun of 130 homes with State resources, through FONDUR. The urbanization is being constructed and financed by the community itself with its own resources, as part of a negotiation between the community and the central government to guarantee the housing construction.
Phase 5 Project to build 152 homes, not yet begun. Land movements for urbanization have begun. Constructed and financed by the community with its own resources, as part of negotiations to guarantee the construction of the houses.
Phase 6 Project being developed for 112 homes. Under development. The community has purchased the land.
To summarize:
494 housing units in the first and second phases.
170 housing units in the third phase.
664 houses constructed with complete urbanization and all services, green areas (plazas), libraries, community center, parks, surveillance booth, etc.
664 beneficiary families.
The fourth, fifth and sixth phases are future projects, which will produce an estimated 394 homes for an equal number of families. In total, counting homes already completed and those yet to be built, 1,058 families will be benefited in the Nueva Democracia urbanization.