Changes in the Mi Casa program would affect families and builders

He Ministry of Housing, Town and Territory announced on February 16 substantial changes to the program My house alreadyconsidered in the National Development Plan (NDP)seeking that it can reach all the municipalities of the country and thus benefit those who need it most.

However, the Anif Center for Economic Studies He warned of some negative effects that these proposed changes would cause and due to the reduction of the budget of the program. “The two operational modifications of My house already for him National Development Plan and due to the modifications that will be made by decree, they generate, at the worst time, a crisis of the flagship program of housing policy in Colombia”, warns Anif.

This would aggravate the bad moment that the real estate sector is going through in the sale of new homes, because according to, Urban coordinate Camacola total of 11,978 units were listed in January, less than half of those sold in the same month last year: 23,934.

The think tank saves the intention of covering a larger segment of the population. “However, the policy recommendation focuses on recognizing the most appropriate instrument. In this overhaul of the policy, it is a central element of the discussion that is opening up”, declares the LRA.

But, one of the concerns of the center is “due to the low budget allocated for the current term, which in different media is at values ​​close to half a billion pesos”.

“Investment in 2022 in subsidies for My house already according to ministry information, it was about $2.5 billion for about 60,000 grants. Taking into account the effects of the budget cut and the increase in the minimum wage, the volume of subsidies guaranteed for this year would be between 10,000 and 15,000, which would deal a severe blow to the construction sector, which is facing a sharp drop in sales. .” detailed the Anif.

According to the analyzes carried out by this institution, this budget would limit the access of low-income households to having their own housing.

On the other hand, it would also affect the Housing of social interest (SCREW), since the limits with which this program worked are modified. Currently, it is 150 SMIC in force in the main cities for the construction of housing, while for the rest of the country it is 135. But, they plan to modify the SMIC for UVT (Tax Value Unit) as a means of establishing limits.

So that the new ceiling is 3,552 CTUswhich represents in 2023 a little more than 150,600,000 pesos, which would represent an increase of 0.4% compared to 2022, but if it were the minimum wage, the increase would be 16% (174 million pesos).

For Anif it is insignificant compared to the 13.25% of PPI (Producer Price Index) which is unjustified and runs the risk of reducing the supply of housing SCREW in the towns. “This article in particular can be detrimental to the sector and the supply of housing in the country. If the goal is to increase access, the cap change measure is not seen as a solution to these issues,” Anif said.

It was also pointed out that the program has grown and improved in recent years with adjustments and additional elements such as the agreement with compensation funds for the provision of housing subsidies to affiliated workers who earn less than four minimum wages.