Friday, December 30, 2005
A big miss
President Chavez set a big goal for 2005 for housing. The government was to contruct over 100,000 units for low income people. It didn't even come close. The final number was 41,500 according to the housing minster Luis Carlos Figueroa. While this was the most built in any year so far during the Chavez administration it is still well short of what needs to be built.
Figueroa is himself new in the position. When it became obvious this past summer that the 100,000 goal was going to be missed the housing minister was replaced by Figueroa who had demononstrated his competance in other public works projects.
On the upside it is said that 80,000 units are under construction and near completion. They would presumebly be completed in the first quarter of 2006 and if that proves to be true then the 100,000 should be easily exceeded in 2006. But given all the past failures everyone is going to wait and see the actual finished houses before that is believed.
Another positive point is that at least the housing being built by this government is dignified and durable housing, not of the instant slum sort built by previous administrations.
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Figueroa is himself new in the position. When it became obvious this past summer that the 100,000 goal was going to be missed the housing minister was replaced by Figueroa who had demononstrated his competance in other public works projects.
On the upside it is said that 80,000 units are under construction and near completion. They would presumebly be completed in the first quarter of 2006 and if that proves to be true then the 100,000 should be easily exceeded in 2006. But given all the past failures everyone is going to wait and see the actual finished houses before that is believed.
Another positive point is that at least the housing being built by this government is dignified and durable housing, not of the instant slum sort built by previous administrations.
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