Location, Location, Location

The CCIM Institute teaches “linkages, linkages, linkages”. Looking for linkages in Buenos Aires, it is hard to beat Villa 31, sometimes called “Villa Miseria 31”. The Retiro neighborhood in B.A. is one of the most upscale areas of the city. It shares the quality of its location with Villa 31.

Villa 31 is property owned by the port authority. It is next to the major rail and subway stations and the port. It is convenient to upscale shopping and the great restaurants and other things that “linkages” bring. It was invaded many years ago by “homesteaders”.

The “villas miserias” in Argentina are the same as the asentamientos in the rest of Spanish South America. They are settlements created by homeless people on unused land. Once people move in the governments do not have the political will to move them out. The military dictatorships of the 70’s in Argentina tried. They brought in the bulldozers and reduced the neighborhood to 40 families. As soon as they lost power, the people came back, sometimes at a rate of 100 families per week. Now the neighborhood houses between 30,000 and 40,000 people.

The New Mayor, Mauricio Macri vowed in his campaign to eradicate this slum. He claims that the area is unsafe because of the proximity to the rails. The utilities in the area are pilfered from the city grid and the residents don’t pay for them. Many people believe the area should be “radicated” instead of eradicated. The 30,000 plus residents want access to legal utilities. They want police protection and they want to have the housing brought up to at least minimum standards.

There is little outcry about the other “villas miserias” in BA. This one has such a great location that no one wants to leave it to the poor. The labor for the upscale hotels and shopping areas in the area come from Villa 31. The residents and others in the areas claim that the crime does as well. The villa is also home to many artists and street markets. There are even tours of the area for tourists.

You can find more information at

David Segrest, CIPS, CCIM, CEA, TRC
david@segrestrealty.com

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