Housing Works With More Than 40% of the Budget Spent and Not One Brick
<p style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">This is funding for the development of shanty towns Comprehensive Sanitation Plan (PISA) of the Matanza Riachuelo. According to the AGN, the audited municipalities showed 17% of the documentation to support their spending. A typical case is that of Lanús that earmarked $ 60 million for infrastructure projects, but did not render a single penny. Against all this, there were no penalties.</span></p> <div> </div>
The General Audit Office (AGN, for its acronym in Spanish) evaluated the funds allocated to the program of Private Villas and Slums, under the Comprehensive Environmental Health Plan (PISA), which aims to improve the quality of life of the population living basin, recompose the environment and prevent future damage.
In this context, the agency found that a work for 300 homes in the neighborhood Los Ceibos in La Matanza, has no physical advances; while "financial progress of 42% was recorded." At the close of the audit there was not a single brick.
During the first half of 2014, reporting period, 56% of the projects' deadlines had expired works. "18 housing plans, the report notes that "10 had an average delay of 17 months, one had not begun work and the remaining seven are on time."
Of the $ 314 million that the PISA had available, during the first half of the year the National Government accrued $ 195 million; the AGN audited 57% of the total, about $ 111 million. It is important to note that this fund is composed of contributions from the Federal Government and the governments of the Province of Buenos Aires and the City.
On accountability to be performed by municipalities, the AGN observed that "in no case was the application of penalties for deficiencies in renditions". Sample shows that "only 17% was accounted for." Of all the sampled municipalities, only Morón had made a "perfect" account. Meanwhile, Lanus had not paid any of the $ 60 million that went to various housing projects and infrastructure. Avellaneda and Merlo were others who breached 100%.
With regard to agreements for the construction, the Audit wanted to analyze 780 units in the settlement "Villa Carton" Castañares and Avenida General Paz and therefore requested documentation "that at the end of the audit had not been delivered." Therefore, "it could not verify the degree of implementation". This agreement was signed between the federal government, the city and the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Foundation.
In any case attempts were made to to compare the information arising from the payment records and records of PISA for diagnosis, but "there were considerable differences" and "could not determine what data was correct."
On the positive side it can be indicated that there are "improvements in the process of receiving the documentation" but still "gaps persist in numbered pages and dates."
"Lack of documentation required by legislation" is also verified, such as Certificates of Work, which together account for 25% of the sample.