Ponta Grossa starts review of Housing Plan that will define popular housing policies

Prefeitura de Ponta Grossa has officially started the revision of the Local Housing Plan of Social Interest (PLHIS), a document responsible for guiding public housing policies aimed at low-income families. The first audiência pública, held at Cine-Teatro Ópera, gathered 55 participants and defined the procedures that will be adopted during the plan update.

The initiative is coordinated by the Municipal Secretariat of Family and Social Development (SMFDS), in partnership with the Office-Laboratory of Urban and Regional Planning (LabPlan), of the State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG).

The revision comes after the closure of the previous plan in May 2025, after 14 years. The objective is to update information on the housing needs of the city and establish strategies to expand access to dignified housing.

New plan will identify housing deficit and risk areas

The Local Housing Plan of Social Interest is an instrument used to identify the main problems related to housing in the municipality.

Among the aspects analyzed are the housing deficit, the existence of irregular occupations, the conditions of housing and the situation of families living in risk areas.

With the update, the City Council intends to establish new guidelines, goals and actions to face these challenges in the coming years.

In addition to guiding municipal investments, the existence of an updated plan is one of the conditions for access to recursos federais from the National Housing Fund of Social Interest (FNHIS).

The municipal secretary of Family and Social Development, Camila Calisto Sanches, stressed that the participation of residents will be fundamental to the construction of the proposals.

“Today we have taken the first step in a process that will be built together with the population. From now on, each stage will have space to listen to those who live the reality of housing in the neighborhoods, because it is this listening that will guarantee a plan capable of transforming the lives of families.

Hearing approves creation of committee to monitor review

During the first meeting, the 55 participants unanimously approved four referrals related to the update of the plan.

One of the main results was the definition of the creation of the Social Participation Commission (SPC), which will have the function of monitoring the discussions and contributing to the different stages of the review.

The Municipal Secretariat of Family and Social Development should publish a call for proposals for those interested in joining the commission. Subsequently, the group will be established by decree.

It was also approved the proposal to prioritize the updating of the rules of the Municipal Council of Housing.

Other decisions include expanding the dissemination of activities to the population, including through the city’s social networks, and using the previous plan as an initial reference for new studies.

Review will have new public hearings in Ponta Grossa

The PLHIS update will be technically conducted by the LabPlan/UEPG, contracted by the municipality, with support from the Foundation for Institutional, Scientific and Technological Development of UEPG (FAUEPG).

The procedure provides for at least three public hearings. The first was intended for the approval of the working methodology. The second will present and discuss the diagnosis of the housing situation of Ponta Grossa, while the third will be directed to the approval of the proposal of the new plan.

According to the geographer and coordinator of the review, Marcio Ornat, other meetings may be held as needed.

"The second hearing, in a few months, will deal with the housing diagnosis of the municipality, and the third will be the approval of the plan. This is the minimum foreseen, but we can have more meetings, for example, in the diagnostic phase, if necessary," he explained.

After the completion of the technical and participatory steps, the document will be forwarded by the Executive Power to Câmara Municipal de Ponta Grossa for analysis and approval.

How can the population participate?

Residents of Ponta Grossa will be able to contribute with information on the housing conditions in their neighborhoods and present demands related to housing.

Participation will be especially important during the elaboration of the diagnosis, a stage responsible for identifying housing needs in different regions of the municipality.

Resident associations, popular movements, community leaders, students, professionals and representatives of municipal councils will also be able to follow the discussions.

Those interested in participating directly in the Social Participation Commission should follow the publication of the call notice by the Municipal Secretariat of Family and Social Development.

The revision of the plan should serve as a basis for the definition of priorities and future public investments in social housing in Ponta Grossa.