Law of free technical assistance is sanctioned

New legislation requires that municipalities provide consulting architects, planners and engineers to low-income families
Rafael Frank

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed the law that ensures families with incomes up to three minimum wages and public assistance free of charge for the design and construction of housing of social interest.

Law 11,888, authored by Zezéu Ribeiro (PT-BA), provides that technical assistance will cover all work of the project of construction of home, getting up and implementation of the work carried out by professionals in the fields of architecture, urbanism and engineering. Technical assistance includes cooperatives, neighborhood association or a single family. The construction can be done by joint effort and no preference of projects implemented in Zeis (Special Zone of Social Interest), urban or rural.

The law also allows them to be signed agreements or partnerships between public entities and providers of professional training programs, residency or continuing education in architecture, urban planning and engineering.

The President of (Brazilian Federal Council of Engineering, Architecture and Agronomy), Marcos Tulio De Melo, said through a note which will detail the system of prefectures and the Ministry of Cities of the operational law for the next six months. According to Melo, the law should open up opportunities in the labor market for engineers in various forms, architects and planners and technical buildings.

The funds will come from the FNHIS (National Fund of Social Housing) and allows the participation of private capital. Will come into force on 24 July 2009.