Social effectiveness of the Minha Casa Minha Vida Program: conceptual discussion and reflections based on an empirical case

Abstract This article aims to contribute to the debate on the social effectiveness of developments of the Minha Casa Minha Vida Program in small cities by analyzing housing estates built in the city of Viçosa (southeastern Brazil). The methodological procedures included primary data collection in the Municipal Department of Social Policies, administration of questionnaires and direct observation in the housing estates that were studied, as well as the analysis of secondary data provided by governmental and research agencies. These data were analyzed based on social effectiveness indicators listed from the literature review. It was concluded that the developments lack social effectiveness, mainly due to conditions related to infrastructure, urban mobility and access to health, education and leisure facilities, factors that are responsible for the socio-spatial segregation of residents.