CONQUEST OF HOME IN THE CANAÃ ALLOTMENT IN PASSO FUNDO, BRAZIL

ABSTRACT Housing problems in Brazil are most common among the poorest social layers. Housing policies, which have increased remarkably in the last decade, remain deficient. The acquisition of decent housing goes beyond physical existence, reaching the right to the city and citizenship, connecting individuals to space and a community. The purpose of this case study, which includes a literature review, a focus group, interviews, and on-site visits and observations, is to analyze how the acquisition of property in the Canaã housing development, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul State, has contributed to the exercise of freedom and development, according to Amartya Sen's theory. The findings reveal that access to housing has increased freedom and development.