Housing policies in Latin-American, Uruguay experience

The results present here respond to a research that has been made in ten years by the Housing Unit of Architect School in Montevideo. It has the scientific contribution of the Iber-American Cooperation (XIV D Network on Social Housing Policies and Alternatives), the analysis of the World Bank , Work International Organization and the CEPAL experts, as well as the further discussions with the Housing Group of the Republic University Uruguay.

This article was presented to the International Seminar of Housing Policies in Latin America. It develops two historic references which let us understand the actual situation and try to explain it.

On one hand a comparison between the Welfare State Policy (that of the Modernity), and the actual Facilitator State Policy (post-industrial. Post-modern, or second Modernity one). On the other hand comparison to a specific Latin-American case, which reflects some typical continental contradictions between The Central Government Policy Uruguay (guide by a traditional party) and the Local Government of a Council - Montevideo(guide by a modern party).

In the end it pretends to put over the table the challenges of the New Urban and Territorial Policies. Although it is not an original question in the current Planning World, the vulnerable political, economic, and social aspects of Latin-American demonstrates how difficult could be a sectorial approach to planning, if they don't consider an interdisciplinary work and multi- governance levels, not only at the theoretical or political discussion , but also at the practical actions.