'Habitat law' bill preliminary approved by BA province congress

Buenos Aires province Lower House of Congress preliminary approved the "Habitat Law" bill, which forces gated neighbourhoods to cede lands for the construction of houses of social plans.

The initiative that counted with the support of most of the opposition, was approved by lawmakers from the Victory Front, Radical Party (UCR), Civic Coalition, Alternativa Peronista bloc, Broad Progressive Front, Pro Peronism, Nuevo Encuentro bloc and Bonaerense project. The negative votes were from De Narváez's Unión Celeste y Blanco.

The law sets a clause in which those property enterprises developed in the province, as gated communities, are forced to cede lands or pay a "monetary compensation" for the construction of "social housing." But, it also leaves the chance of lands' expropriation.

It establishes a minimum of 10 percent and up to 33 percent of the lands to be ceded by those properties of more than 5,000 square meters.