Urban policies, mobility and gentrification in two neighbourhoods of belo horizonte

Abstract

This article investigates the relations between urban policies, the residential mobility and the gentrification of urban space, based on research in two neighbourhoods of Belo Horizonte: Santa Tereza and Anchieta. Several types of data were used in the study, including the Origin and Destination Survey, which identifies residential mobility in neighbourhoods, the Demographic Census datasets on households and residents, and municipal data on real estate dynamics and current urban policies. Qualitative data from interviews and local observations has also been used. The results demonstrate how the processes are distinct. In Santa Tereza, the urban policies implemented as an outcome of resident mobilization have managed to stop gentrification. In Anchieta, the greater liberality of urban policies, which did not elicit any organized responses from residents, has allowed renovation in some parts of the neighbourhood, which we identified as new-build gentrification.