To build a gated, secure housing facility of 1000 new 2 and 3 bedroom homes for the underprivilaged, such as displaced families and single parent families resulting from violence in Colombia.

1. PROJECT “FREEHOUSE”
Low cost housing for the underprivilaged in
Colombia

2. Colombia: the world's second
largest number of internally
displaced people
Source: European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO)
Susana Perez Diaz, information officer, European Commission/ECHO
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en.htm
 Colombia is a country has suffered from one of the longest internal conflict
still present today. Guerrilla and paramilitary groups have been active since the
1960s; they have committed several attacks in most of its national territory and
with very high intensity during the 1990s, affecting in a negative and
significant manner most of its population. These attacks have varied in
intensity and geographical location during the years and hence provide .
sufficient variation to capture its effect on economic activity.

3. FROM THE COLOMBIAN NEWSPAPER “EL TIEMPO” (JULY 3, 2011)
http://www.eltiempo.com/Multimedia/especiales/restituciondetierras/

4.  The Colombian conflict is one of the longest ongoing domestic confrontations in the
world surpassed in length only by the Israeli–Palestinian and the Indian–Pakistani
conflicts. There are three main irregular armed groups acting inside its borders.
Specifically, there are two guerrilla organizations known as the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) both of which
even though originated in communist ideas in the early 1960s are now also involved in
drug producing and trafficking operations. The third group is a rightwing paramilitary
group known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) founded almost
25 years ago and which is now under a peace process with the government. All three
groups, besides engaging in direct fight with the national army, also perpetrate
crimes against the civil population, private assets, and public infrastructure. To
finance themselves and try to get political power they kidnap both for extortive or
political reasons and engage in drug production and trafficking.

5.  This has caused a huge migration of people fleeing the violence to the
principle urban areas, especially Bogota. Apart from huge numbers of
displaced persons every year, the lack of security affect home loans and
mortgages. Banks are reluctant to lend to newly arrived families or
single parent families and rental accommodation is limited and relatively
costly. The Colombian Government has no social housing development
policy.

6. UN Alert Of 1.6 Million Women
Displaced in Colombia Due to the
War
lunes, 08 de marzo de 2010
United Nations announced that almost 1.6 million women have been forced to abandon their
homes due to the armed conflict in Colombia. According to a UN report, the Colombian
Government quotes more than a million and a half women have fled their homes in distinct
regions of the country to avoid being recruited by armed groups or their children falling into
their net.
But violence is not only derived from the internal war
that affects Colombia, also discrimination, physical
assault, sexual abuse, psychological and verbal
abuse, economic dependency, exclusion and poverty
are some of the situations faced by these women.
"Many of them have no access to health and
effective family planning services and
quality, especially adolescents and youths," said the
UN report, which noted that about 500 women a
year die from preventable causes in Colombia during
pregnancy or childbirth.

7. Overall Plan
To build a gated, secure housing facility of 1000 new 2
and 3 bedroom homes for the underprivilaged, such as
displaced families and single parent families resulting
from violence in Colombia. The facility will also include
shops, common areas, a health center and a workshop
to provide employment opportunities to the
residents.The first installation will be built in Medellin
with others to follow in other Colombian cities as
funds become available.

8. Welcome to “Techos de Paz” Bogota

9. Project aims
 Provide low cost housing for the underprivilaged
 Provide a secure living environment
 Provide shops and services with reduced costs
 Provide workshop for artesanal work
 Provide training for employment or formation of small
businesses
 Provide employment opportunities within the project for
residents
 Provide health care and health training

10. House Specifications
 • 1 Foundation: Excavations at 60 x 45 cm. filled with reinforced concrete with 4 Faith 8, stirrups of 4.2 per 25 cm.
with provision for future expansion.
• 2 insulating layer: cement stucco will be the horizontal and vertical bag, both with a coat of asphalt sealant.
• 3 Elevation masonry: In concrete blocks 8 / 13 and settled 20x20x40 mixed masonry cement taken together.
Take a concrete chained with 3 faith from 8 up to lintel.
• 4 Ceiling: prestressed slab beams with compression layer of 4 cm. Overhangs of 15 cm. on the sides not
scalable and expandable in the slab set on half wall. Roof laminate waterproofing prior to 4 mm.
• 5 Plaster:
a) Interior ,bagged
b) Exterior, thick and thin over incorporating waterproof raincoat.
c) Ceilings bagged • 6 Floors: concrete subfloors tamped rubble. Interior: ceramic floor and after skirting
concrete folder. Exterior: Porch, entrance and sidewalks of cement.Termination subfloor with cement.
• 7 Bathroom: Artifacts common targets. Ceramic coatings up to 1.80 m in height. Accessories and hanging
kit. Chrome plated brass faucets Faucets type PV.
• 8 Kitchen: Countertop 1.20 x 0.60 m bacha marble with stainless steel.Take on table, 3 rows of tiles, water
heater. Does not include kitchen, upper and lower cupboard.
• 9 plumbing:
a) primary and secondary sewage drains PVC 3.2 (adopted). Regulatory and inspection camera prefabricated
septic tank.Well absorbing paving slabs to 2 m garden set in a future sewer connection.
 b) hot and cold water pipe PP. except aerial parts to be galvanized iron.
c) Plumbing, kitchen and laundry chromed brass.
d) 1000-liter tank with running water supply
• 10 Gas installation: Supply will be made for cooking and water heater for letting outside connection carafe.
Remain as an option by the contractor, plumbing and natural gas cabinet, such as adding peaks to stoves.
• 11 Electrical Installation:There will be using conventional materials as per plan approved electricity.
• 12 Woodwork:
Exterior: aluminum door steel with glass and hardware. Windows, shutters carry the same quality.
Interior: Door wooden plate with aluminum frame, the 65/75 cm .. Inside, only place the plate in the bathroom
door.
• 13 Paint: A lime on exterior walls, trim and synthetic enamel on exterior walls.

11. .
Houses

12. House Plan
First Floor
SuperficieConstruida
Interior 86.51 m2 Terrazas 2.82 m2 Porches 1.26 m2 Jardín 36.47 m2
Total 127.06 m2 Superficie Parcela 81.00 m2

13. Second Floor

14. House Interior

15. SuperficieConstruida
Interior88.49m2Terrazas3.30m2Porches13.70m2Jardín108.00
m2Total213.49m2SuperficieParcela162.00m2

16. House Fixtures
Every house will be fitted with the following:
1. Gas cooker
2. Fridge/freezer
3. Washing machine
4. Water heater
5. Light fixtures

17. Workshop
A fully fitted carpentry workshop with qualified trainers will
be provided to help residents produce and commercialize
their own products.
Products will be:
1. Furniture
2. Ornaments
3. Household items
Machinery provided will include:
Band saw, jig saw, drills, border cutter, sander,
Training courses in carpentry will also be held.

18. Shopping Center

19. Shops
 Supermarket
 Bakery
 Internet café
 Chemist
 Newsagent
 Bank
 Credit Union
 Hardware Store
 Household Store
Shoe Store
Clothes Store Adults
Clothes Store Children
Bar
Café
Restaurants
1. National
2.Burger/Pizza
3. Chicken

20. Other Services
 Shops: Supermarket, bakery, household
goods
 Restaurants: fast food, local
 Health center
 Function room/bar
 Kindergarden
 Security
 Services (electricity, cable, gas)

21. School

22. Administration Building

23. Costs to Residents
 Residents will pay a monthly Administration to
cover costs of operation and maintenance of
US$15.
 Also pay a “Quota” of US$40. over a period of 10
years, after which the property becomes their
own.
 All payments will increase by 5% per year to
cover inflation.
 A deposit of 3 months will be required to cover
possible non payments (this can be financed)

24. Employment Opportunities
 Management
 Administration
 Security
 Shop/restaurant workers
 Maintainance
 Health center employees