María Mercedes Di Virgilio

The formation of social organizations and their attempts to consolidate settlements and neighbourhoods undergoing transition in Buenos Aires

This paper examines the formation of social organizations in the two forms of urban habitat most commonly used by low-income groups in Buenos Aires - the invasion of vacant land, mostly in peripheral areas, and the occupation of vacant buildings within the city centre. In the first, community organizations are widespread, of long standing and relatively effective. They helped develop (and negotiate for) basic infrastructrure and services and helped negotiate land tenure. Government agencies recognize them and work with them. In the second, community organizations are less evident and less effective, in part because the illegally occupied buildings are scattered between those legally owned by higher-income groups, in part because the inhabitants seek to disguise their illegal status and in part because government organizations do not recognize the legitimacy of such organizations and have made no provision to allow their tenure to be regularized.

Un análisis comparado sobre la implementación de políticas de regularización de asentamientos informales en Argentina, Brasil y México

En este trabajo se abordan las politicas publicas de regularizacion dominial y urbanistica implementadas en America Latina en las ultimas decadas, haciendo hincapie en la experiencia comparativa de tres paises de la region: Argentina, Brasil y Mexico. Para ello, se hace una breve resena del desarrollo del habitat informal y de la situacion habitacional de los paises seleccionados. Posteriormente, se analizan la normativa urbana vigente, las politicas de regularizacion dominial y urbanistica implementadas a nivel federal y los diferentes organismos involucrados. Finalmente, se contraponen los diferentes modelos de gestion y articulacion interjurisdiccional existentes en cada uno de los paises. El analisis se vale de estadisticas oficiales y datos secundarios sobre condiciones habitacionales, normativas urbanas y programas vigentes. Pese a compartir la organizacion politica federal, el analisis comparativo muestra grandes diferencias entre los paises en funcion de los arreglos institucionales y la relacion con el tipo de regimen de propiedad vigente.

Movilidad residencial de sectores medios y populares: la ciudad de Buenos Aires como punto de llegada

The article reconstructs residential mobility patterns of individuals and households from popular and middle-class sectors residing in two areas of the city of Buenos Aires, configured around dissimilar segregation pat terns. Residential mobility is a powerful lens to show how the social class experience is produced and reproduced in modes of dwelling. Through a qualitative and biographical approach, we analyzed the specificities presented by residential mobilities of different social sectors. We identified patterns in the three dimensions of residential mobility: spatiality, the residential arrangements that households employ, and the motivations that guide their movements. The findings show the effects that the position in the social structure has on residential mobility, as well as its interaction with the spatial structure itself.

Housing policy in Argentina: reflections on a decade of progressive social policy

In 2003, the federal housing policy was launched in Argentina, marking a new era in housing policy in Latin Americas fourth most populous country. The Federal Housing Plan (FHP) sought to improve upon the complex scenario left by the deep socio-economic crisis of 2001--2002 with the most ambitious and progressive housing plan in Argentine history. This paper reviews the design and implementation of the FHP in the city of Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires between 2003 and 2014. It focuses on the main characteristics of the Plan, as well as each of its subprogrammes and the paper reflects upon the main challenges encountered during implementation.In 2003, the federal housing policy was launched in Argentina, marking a new era in housing policy in Latin Americas fourth most populous country. The Federal Housing Plan (FHP) sought to improve upon the complex scenario left by the deep socio-economic crisis of 2001--2002 with the most ambitious and progressive housing plan in Argentine history. This paper reviews the design and implementation of the FHP in the city of Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires between 2003 and 2014. It focuses on the main characteristics of the Plan, as well as each of its subprogrammes and the paper reflects upon the main challenges encountered during implementation.