domingo, 29 de maio de 2011

LESS TAXES FOR GREEN HOUSING IN A CITY IN BRAZIL

 

Sao Vicente, in Sao Paulo State, is the first city in Brazil that has made a local law to stimulate green housing with discounts in taxes. In Brazil, people have to pay a tax for living in an urban area, it is the IPTU tax, which every city or town can manage it. Last year, the representatives of Sao Vicente City Hall decided to reduce taxes from houses and buildings that may be included in 15 "green criteria". According to this law, inhabitants that prove their housing fits in the echological statements, can receive up to 23% in discounts when paying their IPTU. But this law was credited this month (may/2011) and it will be applied only in 2012 for the usual bureaucracy.
In Sao Vicente, inhabitants pay the equivalent to 1,3% from the builded housing. For example, if you live in a house that is 50.000 dollars, you pay 650 dollars per year. But according to this new law, if you use ecological bricks, you have 0,1% off; if the lot has 15% of non paved soil, you have 0,07% off. In sum, the law stablishes 22 criteria for an ecological building which intends to spread out new technologies in reducing water and energy comsume, besides waste production.
The Environment Bureau Chief, Alfred Moura, explains that the inhabitant can have the discount simply by going to the Bureau and demand a check visit in the place he/she lives in and the bureau emploees will check if the building fits or not the law; moreover, in which criteria it may get the discount.
The mayor expects that all citizens realize that this law is a benefit for everyone, both individually and as a community, for a better world.