Economic prosperity is not improving but perhaps further worsening Argentina’s housing shortage. The situation according to the expert Raquel Rolnik has been deteriorating, despite some recent efforts. Ms. Rolnik called for a comprehensive strategy to tackle the country’s housing crisis. Violent Evictions The Expert has just returned from an investigative trip to Argentina where Rolnik said “she heard countless testimonies about violent evictions, often carried out by the State and on public land and without the possibility of relocation or compensation for affected families” (UN News Release – April 21, 2011). Raquel Rolnik is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing. The evictions, she said, are increasing in both urban and rural areas and affect in particular the residents of informal settlements, as well as peasants and indigenous peoples. “I’m very concerned about violent evictions taking place in various regions of the country and the lack of more comprehensive promotion of adequate housing in Argentina,” “Informal Occupation” is Main Form of Access to Housing! Rolnik said that the “informal occupation” of land has become the main form of access to housing in the country due to the lack of affordable housing. “Despite the significant budgetary commitment adopted by the Government since 2003 in response to the housing crisis, and the participation of provinces and municipalities in this effort, the imbalance between supply and demand has continued to increase,” “This is partly due to State neglect of housing issues in previous decades. But the situation has deteriorated recently due to the economic growth that Argentina is experiencing and its direct effect on price increases for land, including urban land, housing and rents which have grown proportionately more than the income of most of the population.” Compare to United States Particularly noteworthy is Rolnik’s Report at time when domestically and internationally some have called for United States Government to cease its involvement in support for the US housing market, (including through semi-government institutions like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that facilitate less expensive mortgage rates). I especially found the comments of an IMF Analyst suggesting that US should eliminate such Agencies as being inconsistent with the US economic model and the American dream. (See “Housing to Blame” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/housing-to-blame/26305 ). There appear though additional negative consequences that can arise beyond housing shortages, to political and social disenfranchisement. Criminalization! Ms. Rolnik noted, “There is a growing phenomenon in various parts of the country of criminalization of people who occupy lands or buildings, and who are victims of growing stigmatization.” Despite recent efforts to alleviate the housing shortage, the situation has continued to deteriorate in terms of shortages and social consequences. Rolnik expressed questions “about the weakness of the allocation system of the social housing programmes, which opens the door to discrimination, and has made the issue the object of political disputes.” Too Much or Too Little Housing By comparison to Argentina, the United States is alleged to have too much housing. Perhaps more accurately, the US has too many houses for people who can afford them now, in large part due to the recent financial crisis, unemployment and salaries/income that have not kept pace with the rise in prices of all other houses. Also, the US is not necessarily experiencing a housing glut, as many families/individuals have had to downsize to rental housing and even moving in with parents/extended family. While it can be argued that the US may have overbuilt, or certainly overbuilt in terms of ever growing size compared to needs and means, this recent example of Argentina forewarns of the economic, social and political consequences of not enough and how hard it can be to break such a cycle. By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey Face Book find at “Diplomatically Incorrect” Twitter - DiplomaticallyX