Con Permiso: Learning to Navigate Public Space in Mexico City – Common Edge

Report on Urban Development and Social Equity in Mexico City: A Sustainable Development Goals Perspective

1.0 Introduction: Urban Dynamics and Sustainable Development

This report analyzes the socio-economic dynamics within Mexico City, focusing on the intersection of cultural norms, urban development, and social equity. The analysis is framed through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning poverty, inequality, economic growth, and sustainable communities. Observations are drawn from an examination of public life, civic movements, and institutional responses to challenges such as gentrification.

2.0 Challenges to Inclusive and Sustainable Urbanization (SDG 11)

Recent developments in Mexico City present significant challenges to the achievement of SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. The primary issue identified is gentrification, driven by an influx of foreign residents, including digital nomads, which impacts housing affordability and the social fabric of historic neighborhoods.

• Housing Affordability: The rising cost of living, with average rents reaching approximately 2,000 pesos ($1,111), threatens to displace local populations in areas such as La Roma and Condesa. This directly contravenes the objective of SDG 11.1, which aims to ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing.
• Public Space and Social Inclusion: The negotiation of shared public spaces, from metro stations to markets, is a core element of the city’s social cohesion. Gentrification risks altering the inclusive nature of these spaces by prioritizing establishments and policies that cater primarily to foreigners.
• Civic Response: A national anti-gentrification movement has emerged, articulating demands for “Housing for Living, Not for Investment,” reflecting a grassroots effort to safeguard the city’s inclusivity and sustainability.

3.0 Socio-Economic Disparities and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10 & SDG 1)

The phenomenon of gentrification exacerbates existing inequalities, a critical concern addressed by SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities. The economic disparity between foreign residents and the local population is a primary driver of social tension.

1. Income Disparity: The influx of individuals with higher purchasing power creates an economic pressure that local wage earners cannot sustain, leading to increased socio-economic stratification within neighborhoods.
2. Spatial Inequality: The focus of anti-gentrification protests on neighborhoods like Roma and Condesa, as opposed to established wealthy enclaves like Polanco, highlights a perception that these traditionally Mexican areas should remain accessible, pointing to complex internal urban inequalities.
3. Poverty Alleviation Setbacks: The rapid increase in housing costs poses a direct threat to progress on SDG 1: No Poverty, as it places significant financial strain on low- and middle-income families, potentially pushing them into economic precarity.

4.0 Economic Growth, Tourism, and Decent Work (SDG 8)

The situation in Mexico City illustrates the complex balance required to achieve SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. While tourism and foreign investment are key economic drivers, their management is crucial for sustainable and equitable outcomes.

• Tourism’s Economic Contribution: Tourism represents nearly 9% of the Mexican economy and is a major source of local employment. Policies must therefore balance the benefits of tourism with the need to protect local communities from displacement and cultural erosion.
• Informal and Formal Economies: The urban economy is a blend of formal sectors and a vibrant informal economy, exemplified by the ubiquitous street food vendors (puestos callejeros). Sustainable development strategies must recognize and support all facets of this economic landscape.
• The “Digital Nomad” Phenomenon: This new form of labor presents both opportunities for economic injection and challenges related to its impact on local infrastructure, housing markets, and social cohesion.

5.0 Civic Engagement and Institutional Response (SDG 16)

The response to gentrification demonstrates key principles of SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, highlighting the role of civic action in promoting accountable governance.

1. Freedom of Assembly: The organization of widespread, coordinated protests and marches across Mexico represents a robust exercise of the fundamental freedom of assembly.
2. Institutional Accountability: The government of Mexico City demonstrated notable responsiveness to the protests. Official actions included policy pronouncements, daily press briefings, the announcement of affordable housing projects, and the organization of community forums.
3. Building Inclusive Institutions: This rapid and direct governmental engagement with civic demands is indicative of an effort to build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels, a core target of SDG 16.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article discusses the economic disparities between local residents and foreigners (“gringos,” “digital nomads”), which lead to social tensions. It also touches upon the historical context of inequality between the U.S. and Mexico and the rights of indigenous peoples regarding freedom of movement.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: This is a central theme, focusing on urban challenges in Mexico City. The article explicitly details issues of gentrification, the rising cost of housing, unaffordable rents, and the use of public spaces. The protests described are a direct response to these urban development issues.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article mentions the economic impact of tourism, stating it “represents nearly nine percent of the Mexican economy and a huge source of local employment.” This connects the presence of foreigners to the local economy, highlighting both its benefits and the social friction it can cause.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article highlights civic engagement through the anti-gentrification protests and the government’s reaction. It describes how the government of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo responded with “policy pronouncements, daily comments during the mañanera press briefings, announcements of affordable housing projects, and community forums,” demonstrating institutional responsiveness to public demands.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):
  1. Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums. The core of the anti-gentrification protest is the lack of affordable housing. The article mentions “unaffordable rents” and protest banners reading, “HOUSING FOR LIVING, NOT FOR INVESTMENT,” directly addressing this target.
  2. Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries. The protests and subsequent “community forums” initiated by the government are examples of citizens participating in the dialogue about urban planning and management.
• Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):
  1. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The anti-gentrification movement’s slogan, “Gentrification isn’t progress, it’s dispossession,” points to the economic exclusion of local Mexicans in favor of wealthier foreigners.
  2. Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. The article references this by mentioning the “fundamental human right of indigenous peoples” to freedom of movement and the existence of “UN conventions to support the claim.”
• Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
  1. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The article provides a clear example of this when it describes the government’s rapid response to the protests, which included policy announcements and community forums to address the public’s concerns.
• Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
  1. Target 8.9: By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products. The article acknowledges that “Tourism represents nearly nine percent of the Mexican economy,” but also notes the need for balance so that it “doesn’t completely destroy the local sense of place,” which aligns with the goal of sustainable tourism.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 11.1 (Affordable Housing): The article provides a specific data point that can be used as an indicator: the average rent in certain neighborhoods is “around 2,000 pesos, roughly $1,111 as of now.” This figure, when compared with the “average income of locals,” serves as a direct indicator of housing affordability (or lack thereof).
• For Target 8.9 (Sustainable Tourism): The article explicitly states a key economic indicator: “Tourism represents nearly nine percent of the Mexican economy.” This is a direct measure of the tourism sector’s contribution to the national GDP, which is an official indicator for this target.
• For Target 16.7 (Responsive Institutions): While not a quantitative metric, the article provides a qualitative indicator of institutional responsiveness. The description of the government’s swift reaction—”the rapidity with which the government of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo responded with policy pronouncements, daily comments… announcements of affordable housing projects, and community forums”—serves as an anecdotal measure of how effectively institutions are responding to public pressure and participation.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: commonedge.org