Construction Delays in Houses the Federal Government Prepaid
<p><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">The data comes from a study of the SIGEN on the Federal Housing Plan that began in July 2004. The watchdog said that while contractors charged 15% of the cost of the works before starting construction, delays were "prolonged." On the other hand, it stated that in several buildings that were supposed to be built in Patagonia, materials were granted without considering low temperature factors.</span></p>
The Office of the Comptroller General (SIGEN) detected "long delays in the start of construction" of the Federal Housing Construction Plan, even though the contractors charged 15 percent of the cost of construction in advance.
The project, which began in July 2004, was funded entirely by national public funds and provided in its first stage the construction of 120,000 homes across the country, an investment of $ 3,875 million and 360,000 new jobs. SIGEN also audited the second stage of 300,000 new homes, with a funding of $ 17.402 million and employments for 700,000 people were expected.
According to the report of the SIGEN, held in May 2007, several works to be done in the Patagonia had advanced funds during the beginning of the "winter season for concreting tasks." The problem is that the climatic characteristics of the region, with a winter that rages between May and September, buildings could not be built, however, the money was given despite the fact it could have been used as an advancement of the project in other provinces. The implementation of the Housing Plan was in charge of the Secretariat of Urban Development which is under the aegis of the Ministry of Federal Planning.
These irregularities, said the watchdog, show a "poor use of public resources" and, therefore, urged Urban Development "to exercise tighter control money transfers" for prepayment.
Another flaw that was found by the SIGEN was the "breach of minimum quality standards for social housing" in works that were made in the Buenos Aires district of Moreno. There, the design of the houses, which in every case had two rooms and utilities, "does not allow the possibility of growth without major modifications and demolitions to the original project."