SITES AND SERVICES

closed

The project would provide sites and services, low-cost housing, building material loans, and community infrastructure for the urban poor in the northeastern states of Bahia and Pernambuco and in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo. In Perambuco, it would also include a squatter upgrading subproject. In addition, it would include a limited number of sites and services subprojects in other states to show the viability and replicability of low-cost housing options for other areas of Brazil. Also for this purpose, the project would include a technical assistance program channelled through the Borrower. The project would provide about 41,800 sites and services units; 19,500 embryo, semi-finished and finished low-cost housing units; and 23,200 loans to buy building materials to upgrade 7,200 squatter housing units. Over 80,000 families would directly benefit from improved housing, infrastructure and community facilities with concomitant improvements in their health and education. It is estimated that 91 percent of the families benefiting from this project would have incomes below three times the regional minimum wages. Bank disbursements would be limited to subprojects with average unit costs that could be afforded by families within the target population.