“La vecindad”, urban exclusion in Historic Centers Poverty and migration in neighborhoods of Puebla (Mexico)

Abstract

This research proposes that “vecindades” of “barrios”, which are located on the periphery of the historical centers, are the product of existing urban exclusion from the origin of the cities, as in the case of Puebla. These are collective houses that were built as result of social segregation, based on the urban delimitation between the spanish central city and the surrounding indigenous settlements. They are valued as undesirable due to their precarious condition because they have simple living spaces consisting in one or two small rooms by each family. Despite their physical deterioration, they are buildings that respond to the current needs for some social groups, which preserve the housing density of the area and maintain the vitality and identity of the historical city through the social practices of its inhabitants. Based on testimonies from neighbors, the advantages and disadvantages of living in community are exposed. Their dynamics and ways of life, their state of conservation and the occupation of spaces for common use such as collective bathrooms, laundry rooms and patios have been identified. In the end, a strategy for its promotion and conservation, where the owners and residents have a fundamental role in the permanence of the community life of “barrios” and the city, is proposed.