Our cities are crying out for help. Brazil has the technical expertise to address urban problems, and there is no shortage of plans or laws to do so. However, implementing them is imperative—a task that requires a decisive political commitment to enact an urban reform based on the social function of the city, as established in the 1988 Constitution and regulated by the City Statute.
With this goal in mind, the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Brazil and the Institute of Architects of Brazil launched the “Open Letter to Candidates in the 2018 Elections for the Right to the City.”
The document presents proposals for “a Solidary and Inclusive Urban Planning that serves as the vector of democracy in Brazil” and is the result of the “National Seminar on Urban Policy: for humane, just, and sustainable cities” hosted by both organizations on July 3 and 4 in São Paulo.
The proposed Solidary Urban Planning would be based on a national social and economic development plan linking national land use to the economy, combined with decentralized regional and local policy-making and increased public participation in discussions affecting urban life.
Read the full letter here.
In total, there are 53 proposals divided into three pillars, highlighting:
1- National project based on the territorialization of public policies
2- Innovative urban governance
3- Democratization of land management, specifically:
According to the organizations, the Open Letter also contributes to meeting the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to Goal 11 (Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient, and Sustainable).
This article was written by CAU/BR. The translation is powered by AI.
