Instruments for Accessing Urbanized Land in the Legislation of Ribeirão Preto – SP

PEUC, Time-Progressive IPTU, and Expropriation as Mechanisms for Promoting Sustainable Development

Abstract

Objective – To study how the instruments for accessing urbanized land—fiscal and financial, such as the time-progressive Urban Property and Land Tax (IPTU), and legal and political, such as the Compulsory Subdivision, Building, or Utilization (PEUC) and expropriation—have been addressed in the legislation of the municipality of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo.

Methodology – The actions of the public authorities as regulators of urban space were investigated, using urban policy instruments provided for in the 1988 Federal Constitution, the City Statute (Federal Law No. 10,257 of 2001), the Master Plan (Complementary Law No. 2,866 of 2018), and the Land Subdivision, Use and Occupation Law of the Municipality of Ribeirão Preto (Complementary Law No. 3,175 of 2023), along with contributions from the specialized literature on the subject.

Originality/relevance – This study aims to contribute to expanding the scientific production on the processes of city production and appropriation. Currently, there is no document that presents systematized knowledge on the regulation of urban planning instruments for accessing urbanized land. The results will be presented through text and iconographic material to be made available in a data “bank” that can be shared in academic, scientific, and community debates and reflections.

Results – The legislation incorporates instruments for accessing urbanized land—both built and unbuilt urban voids—such as Compulsory Subdivision, Building, and Utilization (PEUC), Special Zones of Social Interest (ZEIS), time-progressive Urban Property and Land Tax (IPTU), and expropriation with compensation through public debt bonds. However, there is a lack of coordination between the parameters and criteria for implementation and monitoring, as well as an absence of specific legislation to ensure the effective application of these instruments in the territory.

Theoretical/methodological contributions – The article’s theoretical framework is based on the works of Fernandes (2021, 2016) and Gondim (2011) on urban law; Rolnik (2021) and Maricato (2015) on urban policy, planning, and management; Brajato et al. (2021), Carty and Costa (2017), Cannon et al. (2023), Knippschild and Zöllter (2021), Sun et al. (2024), Al-Lafi et al. (2023), and Locke et al. (2023) on urban voids; and Santos Junior and Montandon (2011) on the effectiveness of urban planning instruments.

Social and environmental contributions – The research findings can guide future public policy actions aimed at promoting territorial occupation with economic, spatial, and social development, in accordance with the principles established by the Federal Constitution and the City Statute, and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals—especially SDG 11 of the UN 2030 Agenda—which seeks to make cities and human settlements more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.