This dissertation is part of the field of city studies, which necessarily dialogues with issues bordering on urban sociology, political sociology, history, architecture and urbanism. The time frame focuses on the period between the end of Brazil s Empire and the Fourth Republic (or Populist Republic). The spatial focus is the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The aim of the work is to understand the implementation of housing policy during the period in question, reflecting on its effects on the city s low-income populations. The methodology used in the research was, at first, an integrative bibliographical review of the theoretical tools that will be essential for the delimited section and studies of secondary sources based on the authors found. In the second phase, there was a documentary analysis of primary sources on the Retirement and Pension Institutes (IAPs). The first chapter contextualizes the urban question by exploring the concepts of urban, city and housing. The second includes quantitative data showing the evolution of the city of Rio de Janeiro. The third chapter highlights the common practice of housing provision by factory owners, looking mainly at the Workers Villages, one of the solutions to the slums.