Rosana Denaldi

Metropolitan fragmentation and neo-localism in the periphery: revisiting the case of Curitiba.

In this paper, the Curitiba-centred narrative on the success of its urban planning experience will be qualified in light of the complexities of its metropolitan development trajectory. It will be claimed that the institutional vacuum that surrounds Brazilian metropolitan areas in general, and Greater Curitiba in particular, has been intensified by the emergence of a competitive and decentralised state spatial regime, which has consolidated a fragmented and neo-localist system of governance. Preliminary empirical evidence will be provided on the challenges that are being faced within the new regime in articulating socio-spatial, economic and environmental strategies in the direction of a more sustainable metropolitan future.

On urban reform, rights and planning challenges in the Brazilian metropolis

This article provides a theoretical interpretation on the limits and potentials of the internationally highly acclaimed Brazilian urban reform as implemented since the 1990s. We argue that representations grounded in collaborative planning and neo-institutional property theory are of little help in providing insights to the somewhat disappointing progress of ‘really existing’ Brazilian urban reform. We provide a different theoretical framework based on adapted regulation theory and critical Brazilian urban scholarship. While it underlines that better plans, planning processes and redistributive land-market instruments frequently fail to produce better cities in light of a contradictory developmental state mode of production itself, it also recognizes potential progressive praxis of social movements and local governance.

Integration of urban and environmental policies in the metropolitan area of São Paulo and in Greater London: the value of establishing and protecting green open spaces

Whilst major metropolitan areas across the globe share some issues in attempting to improve quality of life for their citizens, other issues are specific to their particular situations of geography and governance. There are some approaches, nevertheless, which may have value in rather different contexts, and in this article the establishment and protection of green open spaces is discussed as a measure to help integrate urban and environmental policies and also to address some climate change impacts. The circumstances and policies of two contrasting metropolitan areas – São Paulo and London – are reviewed to demonstrate both the diversity of challenges that may exist and some of the measures that may be taken; the potential for cross-fertilization of ideas and policies in different urban contexts is then explored. São Paulo has experienced great increases in population and extent since the middle of the twentieth century, with illegal settlements in vulnerable areas and risks including flooding and landslides, as well as inadequate infrastructure systems. London faces risks of overheating, flooding and sea level rise as a result of climate change. Spatial planning policies to maintain and improve environmental functioning and ecosystem services delivery in São Paulo and London are reviewed, considering the relevant hierarchical levels and indicating some specific targets. Protection and expansion of green open spaces in many forms are seen in both cities as important and is incorporated into strategic planning. Barriers to achieving progress on green spaces as part of urban policy are explored and some ways forward are highlighted.

Trapped by the land? Change and continuity in the provision of social housing in Brazil

Despite economic growth, institutional strengthening, improved regulatory frameworks for urban land markets and availability of subsidized financial resources for social housing, Brazilian urban development policy has continued to face challenges in providing access to housing for low-income groups in general, and families earning up to three minimum salaries in particular. In this article, we argue that state spatial policies have been severely weakened by the lack of leverage over urban land markets. In that respect, the renewed rolled-out developmental state that has followed the neoliberalization of spaces in the 1990s, as reflected in the Statute of the City, the creation of the Ministry for Cities and the launch of federal housing finance programmes represent advances, but have not been able to trigger structural change in the production of urban space.

Urbanização de favelas na Região do ABC no âmbito do Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento-Urbanização de Assentamentos Precários

This paper analyzes interventions in slums located in the ABC Region (State of Sao Paulo, Brazil) that have been financed in the context of Programa de Aceleracao do Crescimento – Urbanizacao de Assentamentos Precarios (PAC-UAP). Through this program, financial resources aimed at the upgrading of 49 precarious settlements (slums) are allocated to this region. The research shows evidence of low efficiency in the implementation of projects. Our characterization of the settlements and interventions provides a general panorama of the program’s implementation and its bottlenecks. It is concluded that, to understand the lack of efficiency in slum upgrading, it is important to understand the characteristics of these territories, the nature of interventions, the regulation and operationalization of the program, and the institutional limitations of municipal governments.

El plan director participativo y la producción social del espacio. El caso de Santo André (São Paulo)

A aprovacao do Estatuto da Cidade (EC) criou a expectativa de mudanca nos rumos da politica e da gestao urbana na direcao da construcao de cidades mais justas e ambientalmente menos predatorias. O EC institui instrumentos urbanisticos para fazer cumprir a funcao social da propriedade urbana e para institucionalizar a participacao da sociedade. Apos uma decada de experiencia debate-se o impacto transformador desta norma. Tomando como referencia a revisao da literatura, e o caso da cidade de Santo Andre (Regiao Metropolitanas de Sao Paulo), vamos argumentar que o planejamento participativo-colaborativo nao conseguiu mudar a trajetoria de desenvolvimento desigual da cidade. Entretanto, o processo podera diversificar e ampliar as arenas de disputa e se constituir em espacos alternativos de representacao em prol da producao de cidades mais justas.