Housing Justice: First "Welfare Homes" Under Construction on La Paz's Outskirts

The urban landscape of La Paz is beginning to transform with the construction of the first units from the federal "Vivienda para el Bienestar" (Housing for Well-being) program. At the start of 2026, works are concentrated on the southern outskirts of the capital, specifically on plots donated by the City Council in areas adjacent to the Calafia neighborhood and near "Cola de la Ballena." This project, which aims to reduce the housing deficit, is currently in the "gray work" (structural) phase, with foundations and walls rising that promise to change the lives of hundreds of families who currently lack their own property. However, the challenge is not only structural but service-oriented, as these areas have historically faced deficiencies in water and drainage.

From a **business and urban planning** perspective, the program represents a large-scale strategic investment. With an approximate cost of 600,000 pesos per unit—largely subsidized by the state in terms of land and permits—and monthly payment schemes between 1,500 and 2,000 pesos, the model seeks to integrate non-social security holders into a formal real estate market. For developers and the local economy, this implies a reactivation of the construction industry and the creation of direct jobs in areas with the greatest need for economic growth.

Despite the optimism, residents of surrounding neighborhoods have expressed concern about the pressure these new homes will place on existing infrastructure. State and federal authorities have assured that the plan includes not just the house, but a comprehensive improvement of the environment. With the goal of delivering the first keys during the first half of 2026, La Paz is becoming a social laboratory where decent housing is positioned as the axis of the new welfare policy on the peninsula.