Cities in developing nations, and in Latin America in particular, are living a paradox identified more than a century ago by the economist Henry George: widespread poverty persists amidst extraordinary wealth and economic progress.

Land is at the heart of both the problem and the solution. Patterns of informal settlement cut off access to infrastructure and jobs for millions of people. Meanwhile, the value of land offers the potential to finance urban development and provide services that mitigate urban poverty. Building on experience in the region since 1993, the program leads efforts in seven core areas. An evolving network of scholars and practitioners supports these efforts, helping the Institute identify partners and demonstration projects, convene appropriate audiences, research critical issues, and develop curriculum materials. These core areas include:

  • Value Capture

  • Property Taxation, Assessments, and Cadastres

  • Large-Scale Urban Redevelopment Projects

  • Informality, Regularization, and Land Markets

  • Analysis of Urban Land Markets

  • Legal Dimensions of Land Policy

  • Climate Change

With a strong commitment to research and education, the Program on Latin America and Caribbean supports research and offers free courses (online and in-person). The development and growth of these activities support the production and dissemination of relevant land policy findings, tools, and applications as they relate to Latin America and the world.

One of the major educational resources utilized in conjunction with the course offerings is the library of video classes. The following video (in Spanish) introduces the latest video series, Urban Land Policy (Políticas de Suelo Urbano).

Introduction to Urban Land Policy Series by Marcela Roman

Courses & Events

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