RESTART LAGES PROGRAM: INTEGRATED MUNICIPAL POLICY FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION

Abstract

The homeless population represents one of the most complex social challenges faced by contemporary cities, involving structural factors such as poverty, unemployment, family breakdown, substance abuse and the lack of effective housing policies. This article analyzes the Recomeçar Lages Program, a municipal public policy designed to promote the social reintegration of homeless individuals in the city of Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The study adopts a qualitative approach based on normative analysis, literature review and a local public policy case study. The program is examined in light of the fundamental rights established in the Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988, the National Policy for the Homeless Population, and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. The theoretical framework incorporates contributions from Lenio Streck, Pedro Serrano, Paulo Freire, Selma Garrido Pimenta and Slavoj Žižek, as well as institutional data from IBGE and IPEA. The results indicate that integrated public policies combining assisted housing, professional training, healthcare access and productive inclusion have greater potential to reduce homelessness and promote human dignity. The Recomeçar Lages Program demonstrates legal, institutional and financial feasibility and represents an important instrument for inclusive sustainable development at the municipal level.