( Spanish) – The Government of Claudia Sheinbaum seeks build a million of low-cost housing to guarantee the right to a roof for Mexican families. To achieve that goal, the Mexican Senate generally approved a constitutional reform on housing. Next, we tell you what changes it would have, who they will benefit and why it is controversial.
The reform proposes modifying article 123 of the Constitution so that the National Housing Fund (Infonavit) establishes a socially oriented system that allows workers to obtain housing with cheap credit and sufficient for its acquisition or improvement.
It points out that companies in any sector will be required to make contributions to a national housing fund that will be used to build deposits for workers.
“This fund will establish a socially oriented housing system for entitled workers, which will allow them to obtain cheap and sufficient credit for their acquisition or improvement; You may also acquire land and build housing, under the terms established by law,” the project states.
The reform will give the Government access to the institution’s funds. Given this, several union organizations, as well as opponents, warned that this measure puts workers’ funds and savings at risk, something that President Sheinbaum denies.
In economic terms, the document establishes that after one year of contributions, workers will be able to access rental housing. In that case, the monthly payment may not be greater than 30% of the employees’ salary.
Senator of the ruling party: The uncertainty over the Infonavit reform occurs politically
President Claudia Sheinbaum said which seeks to provide low-cost housing for both Infonavit eligible workers and non-entitled workers.
The project states that, in the case of leasing, preference for access to housing will be given to workers who have continuously contributed to the fund and do not have their own home. Furthermore, the law will provide mechanisms to avoid discretion or arbitrary interference that limits access to this right.
It is expected that of the million homes projected for the current six-year term, some 165,000 will be built in 2025, including several for rent that will especially benefit young people whose income does not allow them to rent a home.
The reform “resolves the enormous problem and establishes the direct responsibility of the State to ensure that all workers have access to decent and adequate housing that will help reduce poverty and inequality,” said the president of the Commission on Constitutional Points of the Chamber of Deputies, Óscar Cantón Zetina.
The Housing and Regularization Program announced by the current government contemplates a investment of 600 billion pesos (about US$ 29,921 million) to benefit all areas of the country.
This initiative, which was approved with 68 votes in favor and 29 against in the plenary session of the Senate in mid-December, was rejected by opposition legislators and 23 union organizations who warn that the measure represents a risk for workers. and your savings.
The senator of the opposition National Action Party (PAN) Ricardo Anaya said that with the modification to article 42 of the Infonavit Law, the Government will have the money that comes from workers through the housing subaccount.
“That housing subaccount is workers’ money, it is 2 billion pesos (about US$ 100 million). “No government had dared to touch people’s money.”
Furthermore, among the reforms to Infonavit, a reduction in the members of the committees, which make up the highest regulatory body, is stipulated from 45 to 30 members, including employers, workers and government representatives. Several opposition senators point out that there will be greater interference by members of the Government in the committees that regulate workers’ quotas.
Senator: Government of Mexico will have access to workers’ savings
Another change posed by this reform is that the director of Infonavit will no longer be appointed by the institute’s assembly but by Sheinbaum.
Faced with criticism from the opposition, Sheinbaum assured that workers’ money is not in danger. “Everyone who has their savings in Infonavit is completely protected,” said the president of Mexico at a press conference.
The senator of the Green Ecologist Party Waldo Fernández rejected in an interview with Aristegui on that the Government can have free access to savings for workers’ housing since, he assures, for administration issues it is capped at 0.55%. Furthermore, he emphasizes that the majority of the Infonavit assembly is made up of workers and employers, which is why he assures that any uncertainty is due to a political issue.
For their part, 23 union organizations also rejected the approval of this housing reform. In a statement, they warned of the vulnerability of workers as the committees that historically monitored Infonavit’s resources were reduced.
“The proposal is to maintain this parity of representatives, that is, to have the same number of votes from the Government and from employers and workers,” Jesús Ortiz Álvarez, general secretary of the Pilots Union of Mexico and the United States, told . signatory of the statement.
Carmen Aristegui and Valeria León contributed to this report
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