Cozzy Premium Paulista describes itself, on its website, as a four-star hotel close to Avenida Paulista, in the center of the city of São Paulo. It indicates breakfast, swimming pool, gym and other attractions in the daily rates — advertised at prices starting at R$485 and R$1,300, depending on the type of suite and date.
A different description appears, however, in the certificate of total completion of the same project, dated June 2025. The document issued by the city hall indicates that it is a mostly residential building, with 91 HMP (Popular Market Housing) apartments, compared to just 19 accommodation service units.
According to municipal legislation, HMP units can function exclusively as permanent housing for families with a total monthly income of up to ten minimum wages (R$16,210 or R$2,431.50 per capita). The restriction on use is set at ten years after the certificate of completion, during which period rentals to higher income earners are not permitted, nor are short-term rentals permitted.
A complaint made by councilor Nabil Bonduki (PT) this Monday (13) pointed out, however, that the use as accommodation would not only cover the 19 units indicated in the Cozzy certificate. With a hidden camera, the parliamentarian showed guests at the entrance of the hotel, located near Avenida Bernardino de Campos, in the Vila Mariana district, south of São Paulo.
By email, the Cozzy Hotéis chain told the reporter that it operated regularly and that it had made a change of use at the city hall, in order to operate 100% as a hotel. Later, he said that he also offers “monthly rental for HMP” — however, São Paulo legislation considers the short season to be accommodation. The statements were made by businessman Jesse Botaro Junior, responsible for the project.
THE Sheet It also identified that the second hotel in the same chain (Cozzy Suítes Paraíso) is also listed as mostly residential in the certificate of completion, with 80 HMP units. The development is on Cubatão Street, four blocks from the other unit. The businessman also claims to follow the law in this case.
In a statement, the Municipal Housing Secretariat stated that the hotel closest to Paulista is the subject of investigation and that municipal legislation prohibits the offering of HMP units as short-term rentals.
“If irregularities are found, the appropriate administrative measures will be adopted, with the application of the sanctions provided for in the legislation, including assessment and imposition of fines on those responsible”, he added. The department did not comment on the other venture in the same network.
The misuse of the HMP and HIS (Social Interest Housing) apartments was reported to the Court by the Public Prosecutor’s Office last year. It is also the target of the CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) at the City Council.
These units represent the majority of launches in the sector, reaching around 75%, according to data compiled by the Secovi-SP Housing Union of the State of São Paulo). With various municipal incentives, they are built by the real estate marketwithout direct involvement of the city hall in the sale.
The management Ricardo Nunes (MDB) claims to have opened 934 cases to investigate allegations of “distortion” of 159,026 popular HIS and HMP units. Of the total, 24 projects were fined, representing a total of R$7.7 million in penalties.
