Right to the City

In many communities around the world, economic development too often comes with a sinister side effect: displacement of poor and vulnerable residents. As a community attracts jobs, businesses, and people, demand for housing and land may cause its poorest residents to be pushed out—either by forced eviction or by the increasing cost of living. While some may think this is an inevitable outcome of development, it doesn’t have to be.  

This multimedia case study set in the context of informal settlements and extreme inequality in Brazil highlights two innovative urban instruments designed specifically to prevent displacement and spatial inequality: the Urban Operation (selling of development rights) and ZEIS (Special Zones of Social Interest). This story shows what happens when these two instruments work together to combat displacement and highlights the potential impact of ZEIS on land policy and urban planning worldwide.