{"id":26394,"date":"2016-01-20T14:25:07","date_gmt":"2016-01-20T17:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=26394"},"modified":"2020-08-07T14:04:17","modified_gmt":"2020-08-07T17:04:17","slug":"new-vito-gianotti-occupation-works-to-transform-abandoned-hotel-into-affordable-housing-in-the-port-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=26394","title":{"rendered":"New Vito Giannotti Occupation Transforms Abandoned Hotel into Affordable Housing in the Port"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas\"\"<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The atmosphere\u00a0was tense on the evening of Monday\u00a0January 18<\/span>\u00a0as nearly 30 people gathered in a circle in an abandoned hotel in the neighborhood of Santo Cristo in Rio\u2019s Port Region<\/a>. This group calls itself the Vito Giannotti Occupation<\/a> after the famous social movement leader<\/a> in Rio who fought for populist causes and rights for workers. The group chose this name because January 15, the day the group took over occupation of the hotel, was Giannotti\u2019s birthday.<\/span><\/p>\n

The occupiers, who consist of people in need of housing, activists from four nationwide social movements<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0students from local universities, entered the building at 3am on January 15 with little opposition. The movements involved were the\u00a0Center for\u00a0Popular Movements<\/a> (CMP<\/a>), the Movement for the Fight for Neighborhoods, Villages and Favelas<\/a> (MLB), the Landless Worker’s Movement<\/a> (MST)\u00a0and the National Union for People’s Housing<\/a>\u00a0(UNMP).<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Occupation of the abandoned hotel came after a long deliberation between\u00a0the social movements.\u00a0The hotel, now vacant for more than ten years, is owned by Brazil\u2019s National Institute for Social Security (INSS). Another Brazilian government organization, the Ministry of Cities, has been in deliberation with the INSS for many years to sell the hotel so it can be converted into affordable housing apartments. Since\u00a0no progress was being made on negotiations between the INSS and the Ministry of Cities, social movements decided to move forward with the occupation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The leaders participating in this occupation find it absurd that such a structurally sound building could be left vacant for so long when there is such a lack of adequate housing<\/a> in the Port area. As one of the occupiers said:\u00a0\u201cThis fits with a saying we have here in Brazil: \u2018Many people without homes, many homes without people.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Having now closely investigated the building, leaders have found that structure is strong, but that major renovations to add water, electrical and Internet capabilities will still be necessary.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

While supporting urban\u00a0occupations<\/a> such as this is\u00a0not new to any of the four participating social movements\u00a0individually, this strategy for occupation is notably different than others because they are all working together. Each of these national organizations is\u00a0leveraging its\u00a0networks to spread the word and lobby government officials. They are widely using social media<\/a> to get information out, making the occupation very visible\u00a0from the outset<\/a>, which is rare among\u00a0urban occupations. Such occupations traditionally\u00a0work to stay under the radar–living in constant fear and remaining\u00a0very vulnerable–until they are more established.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Occupier<\/a><\/p>\n

Those occupying the hotel are both anxious\u00a0and optimistic. They speak in hushed voices during meetings so those\u00a0on the outside cannot hear. Although they do not anticipate facing\u00a0extreme force by the government, there is the constant fear that the police could show up outside the hotel at any moment.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet the residents are hopeful for their plans to transform the hotel into roughly 28 one- and two-bedroom apartments.\u00a0One leader from the CMP spoke excitedly about plans to establish a community center in the hotel’s large rooms for the communities in Santo Cristo that lack a gathering place. There were also discussions about using part of the converted building as a place where social movement leaders themselves would be able to live. <\/span>The occupiers are currently working with a team of lawyers to continue ongoing negotiations with the federal government bodies over the future of the building. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Occupiers<\/a><\/p>\n

Occupiers in the hotel were passionate about the need to have better access to quality, affordable housing in the city. With the upcoming Olympics<\/a>, many communities have suffered\u00a0evictions<\/a> and other pressures<\/a> that are uprooting<\/a> them. Occupiers are indignant\u00a0that the government does not respect the self-made homes and lives that have taken years to build and complete. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As of January 20<\/a>, the group has succeeded in occupying the hotel for five\u00a0days.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don’t miss the video published by Vito Giannotti organizers today to celebrate\u00a0their 5th day of successful occupation:<\/h3>\n