Pandemic-proof urban policies in Latin America: review of new urban laws and regulations in Peru in the period 2020 – 2022

Abstract

In recent years, urban policies have been transformed in response to the pandemic. The new normality has translated into a new urbanity, in the broadest sense of the word; that is, into new rules that shape daily life and the production of urban space itself. However, in Latin America, most of these measures have been contingent on the emergency, as they have not been translated into structural or long-term policies. This research focuses on the changes experienced in urban legislation as of 2020. Period where national governments had to simultaneously confront health problems and pre-existing urban dysfunctionalities. This is a descriptive study that outlines the panorama of emerging urban policies; it first concentrates on the changes visible at the Latin American level, then analyzes the Peruvian case in detail. In this second stage, it analyzes the immediate implications of the new laws, with reference to the preceding regulatory framework and the post-pandemic context that the country is going through. The results reveal that many Latin American countries modified their urban policies during the pandemic, with a growing interest in social housing. Likewise, in the Peruvian context, five new laws proposed, drafted, debated, and approved during the pandemic stand out. Among the issues addressed were land regulation, the right to the city, the management of public spaces, informal settlements, etc. In conclusion, the pandemic was the scene of a change of course based on new urban policies. These policies improve the management of our cities and make it possible to build more sustainable and equitable spaces.