- communications: access to

-energy: use and production

-safe-water provision

-sanitation

-wastemanagement and treatment

- institutional reform

- legislation

- public policy

- resource mobilization

- capital investment programming

- urban renewal

Level of Activity : City/Town

Ecosystem : Continental

The Mutirao 50 Project is located in the Municipality of Caucaia in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza. The region has 2.5 million inhabitants of whom 540,720 live in "favelas". It is estimated that 159,000 inhabitants do not have access to adequate shelter. It is also estimated that are over 4,000 grass roots organisations are involved in the struggle for changing public policy in the shelter sector.

In 1986, People's Council of Rondon (CONPOR) was organised to defend property rights of some 18,000 families, earning less than minimum wages, which had been evicted earlier to make way for roads and were relocated 19 km outside the city.

In 1988 an agreement was signed between the CONPOR, the Municipality of Fortalieza and the GRET to start a self-help housing project using land provided by the municipality.

By 1994, the project realised extensive infrastructure (drainage, electricity and water supply, sewage and land-filling), the building of 50 housing units, the creation of micro-enterprise, the establishment of a nursery and of a small commercial centre with 11 shops.

The partnerships and social processes involved in this project have been not only beneficial to the community in terms of empowerment, civic pride and engagement, but have led to changes in the housing and settlement policies of state and local government.

A brief deciption is also provided in this document of a pilot initiative for upgrading - "Casa Melhor".