Chiguayante: Eureka Committee Secures Land for Housing Project After 15 Years of Collective Struggle

Original article: Chiguayante: Comité de Allegados Eureka asegura terreno para proyecto habitacional tras 15 años de lucha colectiva

By Juan Pablo Orellana

A significant milestone towards securing adequate housing has been achieved by 110 families of the Eureka Committee, as they finalized the agreement for the land designated for their future housing project in Chiguayante.

Though the land had previously been acquired by the government, this official document ensures it will be specifically allocated for the construction of 110 apartments for the committee’s families.

This achievement not only provides legal certainty for the project but also represents substantial savings for each household. In similar initiatives, applicants often need to gather between 3 to 4 million pesos per family to collectively finance the land.

The Eureka Committee comprises families currently living as subtenants or renters, having a 15-year history of persistent organization in search of dignified housing solutions.

Throughout this journey, they have faced numerous challenges, including coordinated individual applications, attempts to purchase land via Subdere with promises of substantial sales, interactions related to Glosa 12, and even a year-long occupation.

Currently, the project is undergoing a second review phase by Serviu after all technical and social observations were addressed.

Administratively, the initiative has already completed engineering, architectural, social, and legal development, along with the acquisition of the land specifically meant to provide housing solutions for the organized families, positioning it as one of the projects with the highest likelihood of approval in the region.

Maritza Novoa, the dedicated leader, emphasized to El Ciudadano the profound significance of the process experienced in Chiguayante: «This demonstrates that in the face of issues that seem individual, the solution is always collective. None of this would have been possible without organization, perseverance, and mutual support over the years,» stated the leader.

The favorable circumstances, combined with the extension of the Housing Emergency Plan approved by Congress last December, bolster the committee’s expectations and pave a concrete path toward the start of construction, culminating a long history of social struggle for housing rights.

By Juan Pablo Orellana