Right to participate in the urban policies: Progress after 15 years of city statute

Abstract

Citizens should be active participants in the discussion and decision of the urban public policy, especially within Master Plans. This article discusses some issues regarding the public participation in the democratic management of cities, without losing the focus on urban law associated to it. The research was developed according to the hermeneutical method, through the survey and analysis of the legal rules applicable to urban planning and citizen participation. Data were collected through bibliographic materials, books and periodicals. We highlight some conditions that resulted in the current insertion of the population's participation in Brazil urban planning process. Analyzing aspects of the urban law established in the 1988 Constitution, and covering City Statute tools such as the Master Plan, the authors discuss public participation in the democratic management of cities. The article finalizes with reflections on Brazilian urban policy, analyzing the importance of promoting Participatory Directors Plans, given the current context of scarce popular action in the drafting, implementation and monitoring of compliance of planning instruments.