TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of social housing models in the development of urban agriculture in Mexico
AU - Josa, Alejandro
AU - Nadal, Ana
AU - Rieradevall, Joan
AU - Rodríguez-Labajos, Beatriz
AU - Cuerva, Eva
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2022/11
Y1 - 2022/11
N2 - This study examines urbanization patterns linked to social housing units and the way in which such patterns influence the practice of urban agriculture (UA) in Mexico. Due to the transformations that take place over time in Mexican social-housing units, impervious surfaces tend to increase at the expense of greenspace and UA possibilities. The research aims to identify the negative impact of social housing transformations on UA and suggest a policy framework for sustainable housing development in Mexico. The empirical analysis distinguishes four social housing typologies within two emblematic neighborhoods in the city of Merida, Mexico: Las Magnolias and Ampliación Tixcacal-Opichén. A survey of 157 housing units combines quantitative metrics and qualitative descriptors to unveil the detrimental impact of development on UA. The results show that UA takes place within the building lots and around the housing units, rather than in public urban areas. 60% of the sampled units practiced UA, with traditional backyard gardens being the most common modality. The research findings point to a systematic expansion of impervious surfaces, limitation of both cultivation choices and crop variety, and major restrictions on UA practices. Social housing represents the bulk of residential developments in Mexico (42.7% out of 35.5 million housing units). Left unregulated, the types of social housing transformations that have been empirically verified in this study endanger the availability of green space as the primary resource for UA. This research sheds light on critical policy changes and formulations that are required to enhance UA practices and to establish greener cities and more sustainable housing development.
AB - This study examines urbanization patterns linked to social housing units and the way in which such patterns influence the practice of urban agriculture (UA) in Mexico. Due to the transformations that take place over time in Mexican social-housing units, impervious surfaces tend to increase at the expense of greenspace and UA possibilities. The research aims to identify the negative impact of social housing transformations on UA and suggest a policy framework for sustainable housing development in Mexico. The empirical analysis distinguishes four social housing typologies within two emblematic neighborhoods in the city of Merida, Mexico: Las Magnolias and Ampliación Tixcacal-Opichén. A survey of 157 housing units combines quantitative metrics and qualitative descriptors to unveil the detrimental impact of development on UA. The results show that UA takes place within the building lots and around the housing units, rather than in public urban areas. 60% of the sampled units practiced UA, with traditional backyard gardens being the most common modality. The research findings point to a systematic expansion of impervious surfaces, limitation of both cultivation choices and crop variety, and major restrictions on UA practices. Social housing represents the bulk of residential developments in Mexico (42.7% out of 35.5 million housing units). Left unregulated, the types of social housing transformations that have been empirically verified in this study endanger the availability of green space as the primary resource for UA. This research sheds light on critical policy changes and formulations that are required to enhance UA practices and to establish greener cities and more sustainable housing development.
KW - Sustainable cities
KW - Self-sufficiency
KW - Urban farming
KW - Urban green spaces
KW - Urban gardening
KW - Latin America
KW - Sustainable cities
KW - Self-sufficiency
KW - Urban farming
KW - Urban green spaces
KW - Urban gardening
KW - Latin America
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85140048914&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/30866d8f-161b-3875-ab56-1326646edf6c/
UR - https://portalrecerca.uab.cat/en/publications/ac9f39e9-6a2c-4f09-8ceb-e9da362529f7
UR - https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=8662322
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85140048914
SN - 0264-8377
VL - 122
JO - Land use policy (Print)
JF - Land use policy (Print)
M1 - 106391
ER -