São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas will announce on Wednesday (4) a R$ 20 billion plan to build 23,000 housing units and infrastructure at 14 railway stations along the axis between São Paulo and Campinas. The Novas Centralidades project aims to foster economic autonomy and reduce commuting, targeting vulnerable families through public-private partnerships.
Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos) will present the Novas Centralidades project on Wednesday (4), a billion-dollar plan to develop urban centers around railway stations in the São Paulo and Campinas metropolitan regions. The initiative plans 23,000 housing units near current and future metro and CPTM stops in the São Paulo capital, integrating the north axis of the Trem Intercidades (TIC), set to operate by 2031.
An urban centrality is an area with full public and private services infrastructure, plus job and income opportunities, to minimize long commutes for residents. Of the homes, 75% will go to vulnerable families earning up to three minimum wages, with over R$ 4.3 billion invested in housing alone. Each of the 14 stations will get facilities like schools, daycare centers, supermarkets, and corporate buildings, costing over R$ 1 billion per station, totaling around R$ 20 billion.
Financing will use Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), where firms cover construction and management costs for economic exploitation rights, cutting state funding, per Urban Development and Housing Secretary Marcelo Branco. "This is the first outcome of creating a secretariat for urban development, not just housing," Branco stated.
Beyond the rail axis, Tarcísio will announce R$ 2 billion for housing in over 200 municipalities. The call for proposals will be published in about ten days, according to CDHU President Reinaldo Iapequino. The model draws from projects like Santos' Macuco neighborhood, featuring active facades for ground-floor shops and services, plus institutional spaces for bodies like the Public Prosecutor's Office and Public Defender's Office.
Centralities will prioritize 1 km radii around stations, with selection based on proximity and accessibility. The TIC will run from Água Branca station in São Paulo, through Jundiaí to Campinas, linking with BRT and bus terminals.
Challenges include geological risks in Franco da Rocha and Perus, flooding in Mauá and Piqueri, and watershed preservation in Jurubatuba and Varginha. Campinas plans 2,000 homes; Jundiaí the same; and 1,000 each in Valinhos, Vinhedo, and Louveira.
