There are just four rules to live here: no drugs, no alcohol, no fighting and no prostitution. Everybody say they agree but they also know that sooner or later someone will break them.

The property, 26 cement floors in the center of the capital of Latin america´s largest city, stands in front of the mayor´s office building, among other downtown buildings in sao paulo. the terrace offers a magnificent view from wich you can see much of the city.
but all is not well here, the elevator does not work and there are people who should walk up to the top floor, not all the rooms have light, and the entire building has not even a drop of water. the 0.50 usd restaurant on the 4th floor and the lobby are meeting points for the community. at night the stairs become dark hiding places for lovers and drug trafficking.

The homeless workers movement in brazil, which started around 1990 is a struggle that occupy spaces and then try to negotiate with the local government, housing solutions for workers who do not have enough wages to pay rent. in sao paulo, one of the most expensive cities in latinamerica, only metro tickets cost about 1.50 usd and a lease of a small apartment can be arround 450 usd. to much for a worker who earns arround 500 USD monthly.

Only in october 2012 the city center suffered some 30 ilegal occupations, buildings as prestes maya o rua maua whom have been over 10 year occupied, over the time have become true vertical favelas.