“Vila Autódromo Residents Reach Tentative Agreement with City on Upgrades”, 9 April 2016

After going to City Hall on March 15 to formally request a meeting with the Mayor to discuss the City’s upgrading plan for the community, residents of Vila Autódromo have had several rounds of meetings with Mayor Eduardo Paes...and Sub-Mayor of Barra de Tijuca Alex Costa...to discuss its future. The community initially rejected the city’s plan because it had been developed without community input and had been released to a select group of journalists...The original City upgrading plan released on March 8 was not very detailed and left much to the imagination...[T]he original plan did not take into account Vila Autódromo’s own award-winning, updated People’s Plan...[I]t seems the community has been able to secure some modifications...[:]...houses will be separated,...56 meters squared...[,]...one story with two bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, and living room...[,]...180 meters squared with room for a small garden and driveway. Within the community, the City also agreed to include a new Neighborhood Association building, commercial area, cultural center, and more public space. An additional road will connect Nelson Piquet Street to the already standing Catholic church. The community will also remain an Area of Special Interest for Housing...Despite how long and arduous this fight for upgrades has been, residents seem optimistic...The City’s updated plan, however, still requires that residents relocate to an as yet undisclosed location temporarily during the construction process. Residents have expressed skepticism...[and]...tagged a building with the message “we will only leave once we are in our new homes.”...The...plan lacks a clear timeline, though residents have been assured that the new homes will be completed before the Olympics...Community members encourage supporters to continue their #UrbanizaJá  (#UpgradesNow) campaign to ensure that upgrades happen as agreed upon and in a timely manner.