Housing struggles and social innovation. the community workers movement experience in luján (Buenos Aires Metropolitan Region)

During the last three decades, the urban sprawl in Buenos Aires Metropolitan Region (RMBA-Región Metropolitana de Buenos Aires) has been characterized by an increasing territorial fragmentation and socio-spatial segregation which is clearly visible in the urban habitat.

The growth of slums and informal settlements, along with the spread of gated communities reflect the structural limitations of the market and weaknesses of the State in providing housing for deprived urban citizens in the context of neoliberal urbanization. Since the early 1990s, grassroots social movements have played a key role in the struggle for basic needs of excluded groups through community mobilization and organization, along with the opening of new -conflictive- arenas of articulation with the State.  However, little attention has been paid to the role of these players from the point of view of the access to housing of disadvantaged social groups, especially those in the periphery of the RMBA.

The city of Luján -67,000 inhabitants, 60 kilometres from Buenos Aires- has experienced significant growth of gated communities along with an important deficit of affordable housing, and an increase in informal settlements. The aim of this paper is to analyze the struggle for access to housing as deployed since 2004 by families in Villa del Parque, a peripheral neighbourhood of Luján, mobilized, organized and supported by the Community Workers Movement (MTC – Movimiento de Trabajadores Comunitarios).

The research draws on 20 in-depth interviews with different players involved in the process, both citizens and public officials; as well as the assessment of local and provincial legislation, government and local press reports.

Our analysis suggests that beyond overcoming social exclusion by satisfaction of basic needs, these grassroots initiatives promote changes in social relations and governance structures (social innovation) that increase the socio-political capacity for subaltern groups to build their right to the city.