The Green City of Curitiba has also innovated in low-income housing developments. The inventive mind of Architect Rafael Dely, who had created the Trinary Road Design, known as the BRT, (Bus Rapid Transit), wanted to make changes on how cities worldwide had been developing for the less economically advantage people. To meet demand of such a fast growing city was not an easy task. The challenges were to integrate not only the new housing developments to the city with a very low budget, but as well as to integrate the people who were arriving without job skills or funds to support themselves.
The standardized developments problem had to be solved without monetary sacrifices by neither government nor the low-income people. Therefore, some others social benefits had to be implemented in order to make up for the people to afford what Architect Dely wanted to build.
The idea of Curitiba City Government genius Rafael Dely was to give not the fish to its citizens, but to teach them how to fish. The plan was to supply people with affordable homes, without having to standardize to lower cost and lose in quality; he thought that was disrespectful with the low-income people. Then the idea of free business installations and assistance, free education, and training came about. This way educating and training people would enhance the work force and generate prosperity.
The social supporting benefits that came to life were:
* Linhão de Emprego: It was a multi-faceted project with partnerships between Curitiba City Government and local business’s people; the project also receives funds from the Federal Government (National Financial & Social Development Bank). The City of Curitiba was planed for the commercial development to grow along the main roads radiating out from the center of the city; electrical power lines and other utilities were installed along those rows. As the population grew the newcomers occupied these areas and so warehouses were built along those power lines and used as: incubators, schools, and training areas. There the economically disadvantaged people received free education in the areas that best tap their skills. The classes were provided to meet the work forces as needed. There the citizens were trained with guaranteed employment upon course completion.
* Linhas de Oficio: It was a development that was created to give citizens the opportunity to work for themselves at home. Houses were built with living quarter upstairs and business downstairs. The citizens would receive free training, benefits, and assistance to buy the property and start their own business.
* Barracão Industrial: It was the City of Curitiba Community Industrial Warehouses Development. They functioned as incubators, where citizens started their own industrial businesses, after receiving free training and assistance for up to two years. To be able to receive space in the warehouse, a person must receive the training and pass the test in whatever course the person wanted provided by the city government.
* Vilas Rurais: It was rural infrastructures fashioned to support rural citizens. The numbers of rural worker migrating to Curitiba were gigantic. So, Curitiba City government developed Rural Villages’ Program to provide an opportunity for people to stay in rural areas without need to go to the city to receive health assistance, education etc. Thus, schools and health clinic were built.
*Cambio Verde (Green Exchange): Green Exchange was a project created to support rural people. The City of Curitiba bought crops surplus and exchanged them for what was campaigned as "trash that is not trash" collected by impoverished people in the city. With this project Curitiba helped the agricultural population and those who were living in the city's shantytowns. The project created a great sinergy; the poor people living in the city exchanged "trash" for food, the farmers could make their living and stay at their rural areas, and "trash" was collected without extra cost for the city government.
* Autogestão: It was a low-income housing development program created by the Architect Rafael Dely with the objective to motivate the population to participate in designing and building their own homes. This project came about after the success of the integration of the affordable housing to the city; Mr. Dely wanted the population involvement in the decision-making processes.
* Modelo Colaborativo (Collaborative Model): It was a program adopted by Mayor Cassio Tanigushi. It consisted of involving the population in urban decision-making. Through that program, the population would continue participating in housing development and other city planning decision-making. Mr. Tanigushi said he was inspired by an imported Canadian technology called the “Collaborative Model.”
