Rethinking Urban Informality: Housing, Environment, and Governance in Buenos Aires

This study reframes the housing question in Buenos Aires as a socio-ecological issue, examining the interrelationship between informal settlements, environmental degradation, and urban governance. We argue that the standard response of providing new housing fails to address the complex socio-ecological challenges faced by the metropolitan area, particularly along the polluted Reconquista and Riachuelo rivers.

Our research investigates:

1. The socio-ecological impacts of informal settlements along Buenos Aires' waterways, exploring how "survival urbanism" simultaneously responds to housing needs and generates environmental challenges.
2. The limitations of traditional housing policies focused on new construction, which often exacerbate environmental issues.
3. Alternative approaches prioritizing reuse, repair, and redistribution of existing structures, considering both social needs and ecological constraints.
4. Political, legal, and economic barriers to implementing socio-ecologically sound housing solutions in a context of fragmented metropolitan governance.

Through ethnographic observation, interviews, and policy analysis, we reveal the complex interplay between housing needs, environmental degradation, and governance structures. The absence of cohesive metropolitan institutions creates a vacuum where informal practices and top-down interventions often conflict, leading to suboptimal outcomes for both housing and environmental quality.

Our analysis highlights potential innovative, socio-ecologically informed approaches to housing, including adaptive reuse, community-led rehabilitation, and policy experiments for redistributing underutilized stock. These alternatives to new construction could mitigate environmental impacts while addressing housing needs.

This research contributes to urban political ecology by demonstrating how Buenos Aires' housing question is inextricably linked to broader socio-ecological systems. We argue for a paradigm shift in urban planning and governance that recognizes housing as a socio-ecological question, requiring integrated solutions addressing both social needs and environmental sustainability. Our findings have implications for other cities grappling with informal settlements and environmental challenges in rapidly urbanizing regions.