Planning & Policy

The Influence of Local Planning and Policy on Social Housing in CDMX

Jenifer Corey, Nick Schlimm, Tatiana Penton, Ele Paul, Srinidhi Krishnan

INTRODUCTION

Mexico City is in a period of rapid growth. Since 1910, there has been an exponential increase in population and urban land area. Rural migration to urban areas in Mexico has been an ongoing process. Migration grew 182% from 1980 to 1994 & 352% between 1980 and 2002. In contrast, rural migration to the US grew US grew 92% between 1980 to 1994 & 452% from 1980 to 2000.

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

COLONIA: a neighborhood or gated community. Functions like a US zip code. There are over 350 colonias in CDMX.
ALCALDIAS: Formerly known as delegacions. 16 in total. Similar to municipalities.
CDMX: (Ciudad of Mexico) AKA Mexico City: Formally known as a Distrito Federal or DF. Similar in function to a state.
VALLEY OF MEXICO METROPOLITAN AREA: Mexico City Metropolitan Area, located within the states of Mexico & Hidalgo. Consists of 40 alcaldias.

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

1940s: Government implemented price controls

1989: Government repeals laws; tenants still paying 1950s level rents

Colonia Historico & City Center see populations plummet

With no incentive to keep up property, landlords let buildings disintegrate

LAND AREA

ETHNIC MAKEUP

The ethnic makeup of Mexico is widely split into mestizo and indigenous people.
The indigenous people are considered to be the significantly marginalized portion of Mexican society.
The indigenous people have significantly high rates of nutritional deficiency, mortality and morbidity.
They are less likely to have access to clean water and sanitation resources.
The indigenous people have higher rates of unemployment and illiteracy class.
Majority of the indigenous population live in urban areas.

SLUM SETTLEMENTS

Cuartos de azotea are a form of makeshift accommodation located in servant quarters and on the roofs of apartments or public housing
Inner-city slums (vecindades) consist of small-scale (one- or two-bedroom units) older housing in inner-city neighborhoods that have deteriorated over time
Colonias populares are unconsolidated informal settlements located in high-risk areas.
Deteriorated public housing projects consist of subsidized units originally built by the GOM for the working class.

TENURE TYPES

Federal property: This term applies to land owned by the national government and includes areas of public interest
Ejidal and Comunidad lands: Owned by the state, ejidos and comunidades are managed communally by their residents.
Private property :Property owned by a private individual or corporate body and can be freely bought, sold, leased, mortgaged and inherited.
Colonias: These informal urban settlements have developed on formerly vacant land.

LAND USE POLICIES

ORGANIZATIONS

Various organizations have been involved in the formulation of policies which became barrier to providing better solutions for many urban problems due to lack of coordination. Despite large scale urbanization Mexico lacked clear policies until recently when in 2013 SEDATU was formed (Ministry for Agrarian, Land and Urban Development). SEDATU was an explicit policy making body rather than an implementing body like INFONAVIT. The SEDATU works with local government and assists them in funding and other technical needs. Although forming SEDATU helped to certain extent the policy making process is still in need of further reforms. CONAVI also known as National Housing Commission was formed to promote and implement housing policies. It also provides housing subsidies for the lowest income populations in Mexico. CORETT was formed to address the rising number of informal housing and it dealt with regularizing and titling such settlements.

DRAWBACKS OF EXISTING POLICIES

Burdensome regulatory requirements Increase transaction cost for ejido lands, discourage formal housing development in such lands. The policies favor home ownership due to which scarce rental opportunities create less mobility. Informal houses start cropping up everywhere as a result of such policies. Another drawback would be that the outdated, weak, unrealistic planning or new policies which are overly unrealistic models create inefficiencies.

SOCIAL HOUSING

SOCIAL HOUSING ISSUES

Stimulated by the government as a need for housing for the various factory workers and/or workers of private manufacturing firms. Social housing took form in large numbers and in identical fashion. Many of these housing communities were built in the periphery of the city and had seen no development of basic infrastructure which lead to a vast amounts of these substandard houses being abandoned by the users. Such models were not sustainable nor implemented with the users in mind.

CORRUPT PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS: In the 2000s there was a billion dollar housing boom for brand new affordable homes for workers. CasaGEO, Urbi, and Homex were a few of the leading developers that took advantage of government partnerships with lenders like Infonavit.

LACK OF URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE & POOR HOUSING CONSTRUCTION: This boom resulted in substandard housing and lack of infrastructure to accommodate residents who bought into the housing scheme.

For more information, please feel free to view or download our slides presentation and final report below:

Land Use and Housing Policy_Group 3

CDMX: Land Use & Planning Policy Report

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