Progress and setbacks in the Urban Policy in Brazil

Abstract

Brazil experienced significant institutional advancements during its democratic transition, with the 1988 Constitution standing out prominently in this trajectory. Among its innovations is the chapter on Urban Policy, which enshrined the principle of the social function of the city and property, established instruments to promote access to urbanized land, and mandated participatory processes in Urban Planning. These innovations were followed by democratizing norms and policies, such as the constitutional recognition of the right to housing, the City Statute, and specific legislation on sanitation, urban mobility, solid waste, and housing. However, this trajectory was interrupted by the rupture that deposed Dilma Rousseff in 2016, continued under the Temer administration (2016-2018), and intensified during Jair Bolsonaro's government (2019-2022). This regressive shift in terms of citizenship rights also revealed a complete discrepancy with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, to which Brazil is a signatory, especially concerning SDG 11 "Sustainable Cities and Communities," aimed at making cities and human settlements inclusive. This article, the result of ongoing documentary research, analyzes the recent trajectory of Urban Policy in Brazil, emphasizing recent institutional changes to understand their present and future impacts on Brazilian cities.