With the relocation of companies and businesses, housing will be required where the workers live, which is why it is key to have a mobility and internal migration plan, and for this, urban planning is required to serve as the axis to take advantage of this situation, assured in an interview the director general of the institution carlos martinez.
The official commented that a first step were the meetings they had with 125 mayors convened by Sedatu, and in which the beginnings of 125 urban development plans were signed.
“An urban development plan is important because there you clearly state where the new industries are going to be, what are the mobility axes and where the houses are going to be located. “All this will facilitate the installation of companies and you will even avoid problems such as corruption, because a mayor will no longer have to pay to grant a permit, but everything will be in order,” he explained.
Carlos Martínez highlighted this meeting with mayors because 75% of the municipalities lack an urban development plan, which is a factor that prevents taking advantage of the capacities of the territories, the economy and relocation.
“We are ready to take advantage of this (nearshoring), to support mayors, so that they make it possible for housing developments to explode. We have positive examples of this, such as the installation of the BMW plant in San Luis Potosí, that of Tesla in Nuevo León or that of Constellation Brands in Veracruz. There are many investments that are taking place and that are markets that traditionally do not develop until they see that there is employment or demand, so we have the opportunity to get ahead of ourselves,” said the official.
Although he considers that relocation is a scheme that will benefit the entire country, those who will benefit the most are those with the greatest infrastructure, so it is essential to start working now on urban development plans for the territory. national.
A little over a year after the end of the current six-year term, Carlos Martínez says he has not yet decided his future, but when asked if he wants to repeat the position in the next government, he answers that he will be in the position that suits him, either in a new federal administration or in any other field.
However, he acknowledged that his management has sought to give Infonavit a new face, especially serving a population that was not seen before. That’s why he launched a home improvement loan program for people who don’t contribute and with a rate starting at zero percent.
“It is a line of credit for up to 2,000 million pesos (mdp) and it is the first time that Infonavit, in a massive way and with its own resources, is going to lend to people who are no longer contributing, either due to unemployment or because They have decided to be self-employed.
“This program seeks to change the institution’s operating model towards a bank with direct treatment and to trust that they will pay us, as banks do and in a scheme that Infonavit was not in, that is, to become as a first-tier bank and contact with people,” said Martínez.
The program offers loans for up to 139,000 pesos, with a 0% rate and to pay for 60 months: “The idea is to show that people can pay and thus expand Infonavit’s credit footprint,” he said.
At least they expect to add around 60,000 beneficiaries with this program, Martínez calculates. The resources will allow those who obtain the loan to remodel their homes, expand them, improve them, paint or waterproof them, among other uses, he said.
healthy portfolio
With more than four years in charge of Infonavit, Carlos Martínez acknowledges that housing is one of the few sectors that has not managed to recover the levels that were prior to the pandemic.
However, regarding the balance that he makes of his management, he says that the most important point is that a healthier and more transparent portfolio was built.
Moving forward, he says, other programs can be made to incorporate more people, mainly segments that are traditionally forgotten, and make them part of the housing benefits, which is an important instrument as a lever for development in the country.
“On the credit side, we have to bet on an Infonavit that not only goes to the average home. That’s my workhorse. Infonavit is not to promote an industry, but serves the industry as a lever, but the most important thing is that Infonavit is for the people”, he assured.
