The US Cities Forward program selects various municipalities in the Western Hemisphere requiring urban assistance based on environmental, economic, and social criteria, focusing on the concepts of "sustainability, inclusion, and resilience." The initiative recently announced the 24 cities that will participate from this year through 2026, engaging in peer-to-peer learning with US cities while gaining access to tools and funding to achieve their sustainability goals.
Each selected municipality is paired with a US counterpart responsible for guiding the design, action plan, and implementation process alongside local leaders. Other selected cities include Ambato in Ecuador, Cali and Cartagena in Colombia, Fortaleza in Brazil, Rosario in Argentina, and Hermosillo and Mérida in Mexico. Renca was recently announced as one of the selected municipalities and has been paired with Evanston, Illinois.
According to the article "Renca is chosen by the United States to participate in a sustainable urban development program" published by BioBioChile, the most pressing challenges for the municipality include the impact of climate change on the area, a lack of green spaces, and the growth of illegal dump sites.
Located in the northwest of the Chilean capital, the municipality was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered unemployment and subsequent housing loss. This situation led to the rise of informal settlements known as campamentos, highlighting the housing crisis in the area.
Alongside housing issues to be addressed through the Cities Forward program, rising global temperatures have caused significant heatwaves in the region. Since the area's public and private infrastructure is poorly suited for these conditions, local initiatives emphasize providing housing adapted to this climate context.
Ultimately, the mayor emphasized the challenge of environmentally sustainable urban development, pointing to the creation of green spaces and new "green lungs" for the city.
This article was written by Isidora Tscherebilo. The translation is powered by AI.
