Urban Land Committees
Encyclopedia
Urban Land Committees are Venezuela
n local neighbourhood committees which, in conjunction with Venezuelan Communal Councils
, develop land titling
in urban areas. CTUs are organised and set up by local communities (around 100-200 families), in a contiguous area defined by the community. Under a February 2002 decree, the CTUs can apply to a government office for the local "barrio
" residents to be given property title
for state-owned land they have informally occupied on a long-term basis. The CTUs operate on the principle of participatory democracy
, and create maps of the local area, on the basis of which (after official verification) land titles are drawn up. By early 2010, CTUs had obtained over 500,000 land titles, benefiting over 300,000 households.
, influenced by the Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto Polar. On 4 February 2002 President Hugo Chávez
issued Presidential Decree 1666, providing a legal basis for CTUs to be formed. The order specified that families that could prove that they had built their own home but did not own the land on which it had been built should be given formal title. Eligibility was however restricted to cases of state-owned land with no competing private claims.
By mid 2005, there were around 5000 CTUs, representing around 5m Venezuelans, and the government had issued over 84,000 titles to 126,000 families, benefiting about 630,000 inhabitants (out of a total urban poor population of around 10m). By October 2006 the government said that over 200,000 titles had been assigned, benefiting about 1m inhabitants, and by early 2010 over 500,000 titles, benefiting over 300,000 households.
In September 2006 a new law was passed, and amended in October 2009.
In May 2008 the third national convention of CTUs took place in Maracaibo
, with international observers from Argentina and Uruguay and several pan-American organizations.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n local neighbourhood committees which, in conjunction with Venezuelan Communal Councils
Venezuelan Communal Councils
In April 2006 the Venezuelan government passed The Law of Communal Councils which empowers local citizens to form neighbourhood-based elected councils that initiate and oversee local policies and projects towards community development...
, develop land titling
Land titling
Land titling is a form of land reform in which private individuals and families are given formal property rights for land which they have previously occupied informally or used on the basis of customary land tenure...
in urban areas. CTUs are organised and set up by local communities (around 100-200 families), in a contiguous area defined by the community. Under a February 2002 decree, the CTUs can apply to a government office for the local "barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
" residents to be given property title
Property
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
for state-owned land they have informally occupied on a long-term basis. The CTUs operate on the principle of participatory democracy
Participatory democracy
Participatory Democracy, also known as Deliberative Democracy, Direct Democracy and Real Democracy , is a process where political decisions are made directly by regular people...
, and create maps of the local area, on the basis of which (after official verification) land titles are drawn up. By early 2010, CTUs had obtained over 500,000 land titles, benefiting over 300,000 households.
History
A formal proposal for a land titling process for barrio residents was first put forward in 2000 by the opposition Justice FirstJustice First
Justice First Movement is a centrist political party in Venezuela.-History:Primero Justicia was created in 1992 as a Civil Association by a group of university students who were concerned about what they saw as a deterioration of judicial power in the country and joined their efforts to...
, influenced by the Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto Polar. On 4 February 2002 President Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
issued Presidential Decree 1666, providing a legal basis for CTUs to be formed. The order specified that families that could prove that they had built their own home but did not own the land on which it had been built should be given formal title. Eligibility was however restricted to cases of state-owned land with no competing private claims.
By mid 2005, there were around 5000 CTUs, representing around 5m Venezuelans, and the government had issued over 84,000 titles to 126,000 families, benefiting about 630,000 inhabitants (out of a total urban poor population of around 10m). By October 2006 the government said that over 200,000 titles had been assigned, benefiting about 1m inhabitants, and by early 2010 over 500,000 titles, benefiting over 300,000 households.
In September 2006 a new law was passed, and amended in October 2009.
In May 2008 the third national convention of CTUs took place in Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
, with international observers from Argentina and Uruguay and several pan-American organizations.