Transportation and slum gentrification in Latin America: fighting to stay, but missing the gains?

Abstract

Transport-induced gentrification (TIG) has received increasing scholarly attention, particularly in North American cities. This geographical focus reflects the dominance of a Global North perspective through which gentrification has long been interpreted. However, recent decades have marked a turning point, as growing advocacy for a “geography of gentrification” has emerged. Consequently, scholars have begun to situate this phenomenon in cities across low- and middle-income countries, incorporating place-based explanations into the debate. Following in the footsteps of these efforts, this three-manuscript thesis frames the discussion of TIG in Latin America. To this end, I first conduct a Systematic Literature Review and, as a result, develop a conceptual framework that shows how TIG is shaped by the profound informality and poverty inherent in the region. Second, an investigation empirically grounded in Fortaleza (Brazil) showed that an informal settlement began welcoming slightly more affluent residents after a Light Rail Transit (LRT) was implemented, mostly relying on informal rental arrangements. This first case study also showed that, to date, market-driven displacement has not occurred in the community. These findings relied on a visual comparison of Google Street View images, followed by a participatory workshop aimed at providing place-based explanations for the changes in the built environment. The findings of this second manuscript show that TIG in Latin America poses challenges to the usual definition of gentrifiers as iddle- or high-income individuals. Furthermore, they show that gentrification in informal settlements is often associated with regional processes of urban restructuring. These outcomes led to a turning point in the research as the analytical fo cus was shifted from displacement to the burdens imposed onincumbents. In this sense, I conducted a qualitative approach (using the process tracing method) to explore the role TIG plays in changing incumbents’ mobility practices as the local retail composition changes and incumbents are theoretically allowed to go farther and faster using the LRT. In general, findings of the third manuscript reinforce that it is essential to explore how individuals perceive and experience gentrification within the context of transit developments. This case study also shows that improving objective accessibility may be insufficient not only to enhance activity participation but also to shift the mobility practices ofresidents in ways that align with the expectation of achieving sustainability-related goals. That is because many low-income incumbents reported both an inability to engage in nearby opportunities and a need for travelling longer to achieve suitable ones, with hardly any mention of the LRT. To some extent, the findings of this thesis not only frames TIG as a distinctive case of transport-related social exclusion (TRSE) but also support the distinction between perceived accessibility and perceived sufficiency of opportunities, since even when the respondents reported their inability to engage in the nearby activities, they frequently expressed a positive assessment regarding the number and diversity of activities in the neighborhood. Overall, findings regarding the Fortaleza’s LRT may provide urban planners and decision-makers with actionable insights, helping to move the discussion from the supply of transportation resources to inclusive transit-oriented development. As policy takeaways, I note that the extent to which local communities are affected by mass transit systems should not only be part of ex-ante assessments but must also be mitigated in advance. Ultimately, this may require proactive measures to guarantee social mixing, maintain affordable rental prices, and foster local entrepreneurship, to prevent the unfolding of gentrification as a distinct kind of TRSE.